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HOLIDAY HOUSE. 



HOLIDAY HOUSE; 



BOOK FOR THE YOUNG. 



BY 

CATHERINE SINCLAIR, 



AUTHOR OF 



"Modern Accomplishments ; " "Mysterious Marriage ; " "Jans Bouverie ; ' 
"Beatrice;" "Modern Flirtations ;" "London Homes ;" etc. 



'Young heads are giddy, and young hearts are warm, 
And make mistakes for manhood to reform." 

Cowfer. 



WARD, LOCK AND CO. 

LONDON : WARWICK HOUSE, SALISBURY SQUAEE, E.C. 
NEW YOKE : 10, BOND STREET. 



PREFACE. 



" Of ail the paper I have blotted, I have written nothing 
without the intention of some good. Whether I ha , e suc- 
ceeded or not, is for others to judge." 

Sib William Tk.jple. 

The minds of young people are now manufactured 
like webs of linen, all alike, and nothing left to 
nature. From the hour when children can speak, 
till they come to years of discretion or of indis- 
cretion, they are carefully prompted what to say, 
and what to think, and how to look, and how to 
feel ; while in most school-rooms Nature has been 
turned out of doors with obloquy, and Art has en- 
tirely supplanted her. 

When a quarrel takes place, both parties are 
generally in some degree to blame ; therefore if 
Art and Nature could yet be made to go hand in 
hand towards the formation of character and prin- 
ciples, a graceful and beautiful superstructure 
might be reared, on the solid foundation of Chris- 
tian faith and sound morality ; so that while many 
natural weeds would be eradicated, and many wild 
flowers pruned and carefully trained, some lovely 
blossoms that spring spontaneously in the uncuj 



r PREFACE. 

tirated soil, might still be cherished into strength 
atwl heauty, far excelling what can be planted or 
reared by art. 

Every infant is probably born with a character 
as peculiar to himself as the features in his coun- 
tenance, if his faults and good qualities were per- 
mitted to expand according to their original ten- 
dency ; but education, which formerly did too little 
in teaching the " young idea how to shoot," seems 
now in danger of overshooting the mark altogether, 
by not allowing the young ideas to exist at all. In 
this age of wonderful mechanical inventions, the 
very mind of youth seems in danger of becoming 
a machine ; and while every effort is used to stuff 
the memory, like a cricket-ball, with well-known 
facts and ready-made opinions, no room is left for 
the vigour of natural feeling, the glow of natural 
genius, and the ardour of natural enthusiasm. It 
was a remark of Sir Walter Scott's many years 
ago, to the author herself, that in the rising gene- 
ration there would be no poets, wits, or rators, 
because all play of the imagination is now care- 
fully discouraged, and books written for yeunrr 
persons arc generally a mere dr^ record of facts, 
unenlivened by any appeal to „hc heart, or any ex- 
citement to the fancy. The catalogue of a child's 



PREFACE. vu 

library would contain Conversations on Natural 
Philosophy, — on Chemistry, — on Botany, — on Arts 
and Sciences, — Chronological Kecords of History, 
and travels as dry as a road-book, but nothing on 
the habits or ways of thinking, natural and suit- 
able to the taste of children ; therefore, while such 
works are delightful to the parents and teachers 
who select them, the younger community are fed 
with strong meat instead of milk, and the reading 
which might be a relaxation from study becomes 
a study in itself. 

In these pages the author has endeavoured to 
paiut that species of noisy, frolicsome, mischie- 
vous children, now almost extinct, wishing to pre- 
serve a sort of fabulous remembrance of days long 
past, when young people were like wild horses on 
the prairies, rather than like well-broken hacks 
on the road ; and when amidst many faults and 
eccentricities, there was still some individuality 
of character and feeling allowed to remain. In 
short, as Lord Byron described " the last man," 
the object of this volume is to describe " the last 
boy." It may be useful, she thinks, to shew, that 
amidst much requiring to be judiciously curbed 
tnd corrected, there may be the germs of high and 
generous feeling, and of steady, right principle. 



Vffi PREFACE. 

which should be the chief objects of culture and 
encouragement. Plodding industry is in the pre- 
sent day at a very high premium in education ; 
but it requires the leaven of mental energy and 
genius to make it work well; while it has been re- 
marked by one whose experience in education is 
deep and practical that "those boys whose names 
appear most frequently in the black book of trans- 
gression, would sometimes deserve to be also most 
commonly recorded, if a book were kept for warm 
affections and generous actions." 

The most formidable person to meet in society 
it present, is the mother of a promising boy, about 
nine or ten years old ; because there is no possible 
escape from a volume of anecdotes, and a com- 
plete system of education on the newest princi- 
ples. The young gentleman has probably asked 
leave to bring hi 8 books to the breakfast-room, 
— can scarcely be torn away from his studies 
at the dinner-hour, — discards all toys, — abhors a 
holiday, — propounds questions of marvellous depth 
in politics or mineralogy,— and seems, in short, 
more fitted to enjoy the learned meeting at Oxford 
than the exhilarating exercise of the cricket-ground ; 
but, if the axiom be true, that " a little learning 
i» a dangerous thing," it has also been proved by 



PRKPACE. ix 

frequent, and sometimes by very melancholy ex- 
perience, that, for minds not yet expanded to ma- 
turity, a great deal of learning is more dangerous 
still, and that in those school-rooms where there 
has been a society for the suppression of amuse- 
ment, the mental energies have suffered as well as 
the health. 

A prejudice has naturally arisen against giving 
works of fiction to children, because their chief 
interest too often rests on the detection and pun- 
ishment of such mean vices as lying and stealing, 
which are so frequently and elaborately described 
that the way to commit those crimes is made ob- 
vious ; while a clever boy thinks he could easily 
avoid the oversights by which another has been dis- 
covered, and that if he does not yield to similar 
temptations, he is a model of virtue and good 
conduct. 

In writing for any class of readers, and espe- 
cially in occupying the leisure moments of such pe- 
culiarly fortunate young persons as have leisure 
moments at all, the author feels conscious of a deep 
responsibility, for it is at their early age that the 
seed can best be sown which shall bear fruit unto 
eternal life ; therefore it is hoped this volume may 
be found to inculcate a pleasing and permanent 



X PREFACE. 

consciousness, that religion is tlio best resource 
in happier hours, and the only refuge in hours of 
affliction. 

Those who wish to be remembered for ever in 
the world, — and it is a very common object of am- 
bition, — will find no monument more permanent, 
than the affectionate remembrance of any children 
they have treated with kindness ; for we may often 
observe in the reminiscences of old age, a tender 
recollection surviving all others, of friends in 
early days who enlivened the hours of childhood 
by presents of playthings and comfits. But above 
all, we never forget those who good-humouredly 
complied with the constantly-recurring petition of 
all young people in every generation, and in every 
house, — " Will you tell me a story 1" 

In answer to such a request, often and impor- 
tunately repeated, the author has from year to year 
delieiited in seeing herself surrounded bv a circle 
of joyous eager faces, listening with awe to the 
terrors of Mrs Crabtrec, or smiling at the frolics 
of Harry and Laura. The stories, originally, were 
so short, that some friends, aware of their popu- 
larity, and conscious of their harmless tendency, 
took the trouble of copying them in manuscript for 
their own young friends ; but the talcs havo since 



PREFACE. XI 

grown and expanded during frequent verbal repe- 
titions, till, with various fanciful additions and new 
characters, they have enlarged into their present 
form, or rather so far beyond it, that several chap- 
ters are omitted, to keep the volume within mode- 
rate compass. 

Paley remarks, that " any amusement which is 
innocent, is better than none ; as the writing of a 
book, the building of a house, the laying out of a 
garden, the digging of a fish-pond, even the rais- 
ing of a cucumber," and it is hoped, that, while 
the author herself has found much interesting oc- 
cupation in recording those often repeated stories, 
the time of herself and her young readers may be 
employed with some degree of profit, or she will 
certainly regret that it was not better occupied in 
the rearing of cucumbers. 

It may add something to the interest, and yet 
more to the usefulness of those scenes and circum- 
stances relative to the return from abroad and pre- 
mature death of Frank Graham, to mention, that 
they are not fictitious ; and the author is mourn- 
fully touched by the consciousness that some tears 
of juvenile sympathy have fallen from eyes that 
never saw him, for the early fate of a brother 
deeply loved and deeply lamented. With every en- 



Xll PREFACE. 

clearing and admirable quality of head and heart, 
few ever held out a brighter promise of excellence, 
than he who, being restored as is here described for 
a few weeks to his family, dying, resigned himself 
without a murmur, to the will of God, and has long 
slumbered in a premature grave, his name being 
thus commemorated on a tombstone in the church- 
yard of Hackney : 

En fflcmtvu 

OF 

LIEUTENANT JAMES SINCLAIR, 

A01D 20, 

who was arbested bt the hand of death 
ov his wat home, 

atftrb an absence of some teaks, dueinq which he lost hir 
health on skrvioe against the bdkmese, 

20th June 1826. 

"H in tUo Lord, lot Him rto what secmoth Him good." 
" Ft I know that my Roedcmer livotu." 



HOLIDAY HOUSE. 



CHAPTER I. 



CHIT CHAT. 

A 6C.hool-boy, a dog, and a walnut tree, 
The moro you strike 'em, the better they be. 

Laura and Harry Graham could scarcely feel sure 
that they ever had a mama, because she died while 
they were yet very young indeed ; but Frank, 
who was some years older, recollected perfectly 
well what pretty playthings she used to give him. 
and missed his kind, good mama so extremely, 
that lie one day asked if he might " go to a shop 
and buy a new mama 1" Frank often afterwards 
•bought of the time also, when he kneeled beside 
her bed to say his prayers, or when he sat upon 
her knee to hear funny stories about good boyfc 
and bad boys — all very interesting, and all told on 
purpose to shew how much happier obedient chil- 
dren are, than those who waste their time in i^le- 



2 CHIT CHAT. 

noss and folly. Boys and girls all think they know 
the road to happiness without any mistake, and 
choose that which looks gayest and pleasantest 
at first, though older people, who have travelled 
that road already, can tell them that a very diffi- 
cult path is the only one which ends agreeably ; 
and those who begin to walk in it when they are 
young will really find that " Wisdom's ways are 
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." 
It was truly remarked by Solomon, that " even a 
child is known by his doings, whether his work 
be pure, and whether it be right." Therefore, 
though Frank was yet but a little boy, his friends, 
who observed how carefully he attended to his 
mama's instructions, how frequently he studied 
his Bible, and how diligently he learned his les- 
sons, all prophesied that this merry, lively child, 
with laughing eyes and dimpled cheeks, would yet 
grow up to be a good and useful man ; especially 
when it became evident that, by the blessing of 
God, he had been early turned away from the broad 
road that leadeth to destruction, in which every 
living person would naturally walk, and led into 
the narrow path that leadeth to eternal life. 

When his mama, Lady Graham, after a long 
and painful illness, was at last taken away to the 
better world, for which she had been many years 
preparing her only sorrow and anxiety seemed to 



CHIT CHAT. 8 

be that she left behind her three such very dear 
children, who were now to be entirely under the 
care of their papa, Sir Edward Graham ; and it 
was with many prayers and tears that she tried to 
make her mind more easy about their future edu- 
cation, and future happiness. 

Sir Edward felt such extreme grief on the death 
of Lady Graham, that instead of being able to re- 
main at home with his young family, and to inter- 
est his mind as he would wish to have done, by 
attending to them, he was ordered by Dr Bell to 
set off immediately for Paris, Eome, and Naples, 
where it was hoped he might leave his distresses 
behind him while he travelled, or, at all events, for- 
get them. 

Luckily the children had a very good, kind 
uncle, Major David Graham, and their grandma- 
ma, Lady Harriet Graham, who were both exceed- 
ingly happy to take charge of them, observing 
that no house could be cheerful without a few lit- 
tle people being there, and that now they would 
have constant amusement in trying to make Frank, 
Harry, and Laura, as happy as possible, and even 
still happier. 

" That is the thing I am almost afraid of !" 
said Sir Edward, smiling. " Uncles and grand- 
mamas are only too kind, and my small family will 
b© quite spoiled with indulgence." 



4 CHIT CHAT. 

" Not if you leave that old vixen, Mrs Craft- 
tree, as governor of the nursery," answered Ma- 
jor Graham, laughing. " She ought to have been 
the drummer of a regiment, she is so fond of beat- 
ing ! I believe there never was such a tyrant since 
the time when nurserymaids were invented. Poor 
Harry would pass his life in a dark closet, like 
Baron Trenck, if Mrs Crabtree had her own way!" 

" She means it all well. I am certain that Mrs 
Crabtree is devotedly fond of my children, and 
would go through fire and water to serve them ; 
but she is a little severe, perhaps. Her idea isj 
that if you nsver forgive a first fault, you will 
never hear of a second, which is probably true 
enough. At all events, her harshness will be the 
best remedy for your extreme indulgence ; there- 
fore let me beg that you and my mother will sel- 
dom interfere with her 'method,' especially in re- 
spect to Harry and Laura. As for Frank, if all 
boys were like him, we might make a bonfire of 
birch-rods and canes. He is too old for nursery 
discipline now, and must be flogged at school, if 
deserving of it at all, till he goes to sea next year, 
with my friend Gordon, who has promised to rate 
him as a volunteer of the first class, on board the 
Thunderbolt." 

In spite of Mrs Crabtrec's admirable " system" 
with children, Harry and Laura became, from this 



CHIT C1IAT. 5 

time, two of the most heedless, frolicsome beings 
in the world, and had to be whipped almost every 
morning ; for in those days it had not heen dis- 
covered that whipping is all a mistake, and that 
children can be made good without it ; though 
some old-fashioned people still say — and such, too, 
who take the God of truth for their guide — the 
old plan succeeded best, and that those who "spare 
the rod will spoil the child." When Lady Harriet 
and Major Graham spoke kindly to Harry and 
Laura about any thing wrong that had been done, 
they both felt more sad and sorry, than after the 
severest punishments of Mrs Crabtree, who fre- 
quently observed, that " if those children were 
shut up in a dark room alone, with nothing to 
do, they would still find some way of being mis- 
chievous, and of deserving to be punished." 

" Harry !" said Major Graham, one day, " you 
remind me of a monkey which belonged to the 
colonel of our regiment. He was famous for con- 
triving to play all sorts of pranks when no one 
supposed them to be possible, and I recollect 
once having a valuable French clock, which the 
malicious creature seemed particularly determined 
to break. Many a time I caught him in the fact, 
and saved my beautiful clock, but one day being 
suddenly summoned out of the room, I hastily 
fastened his chain to a table, so that he could 



6 CHIT CHAT. 

not possibly, even at the full extent of his paw, 
so much as touch the glass case. I observed him 
impatiently -watching my departure, and felt a 
misgiving that he expected to get the better of 
me ; so, after shutting the door, I took a peep 
through the key-hole, and what do you think Jack 
had done, Harry ? for, next to Mr Monkey him- 
self, you are certainly the cleverest contriver of 
mischief I know." 

" What did he do \" asked Harry, eagerly ; 
" did he throw a stone at the clock 1" 

" No ! but his leg Avas several inches longer 
than his arm, so having turned his tail towards 
his object, he stretched out his hind-paw, and be- 
fore I could rush back, my splendid alabaster clock 
had been upset and broken to shivers." 

Laura soon became quite as mischievous as 
Harry, which is very surprising, as she was a 
whole year older, and had been twice as often scold- 
ed by Mrs Crabtree. Neither of these children 
intended any harm, for they were only heedless, 
lively romps, who would not for twenty worlds 
have told a lie, or done a shabby thing, or taken 
what did not belong to them. They were not 
greedy either, and would not on any account hare 
resembled Peter Grey, who was quite an old boy, 
at the same school with Frank, and who spent all 
his own pocket-money and borrowed a great deal 



CHIT CHAT 7 

01 other people's, to squander at the pastry-cook's, 
saying, he wished it were possible to eat three 
dinners, and two breakfasts, and five suppers every 
day. 

Harry was not a cruel boy either ; he never 
lashed his pony, beat his dog, pinched his sister, 
or killed any butterflies, though he often chased 
them for fun ; and one day he even defended a 
wasp at the risk of being stung, when Mrs Crab- 
tree intended to kill it. 

" Nasty, useless vermin !" said she, angrily. 
" What business have they in the world ! com- 
ing into other people's houses, with nothing to 
do ! They sting and torment every body ! Bees 
are very different, for they are useful, making 
honey." 

" And wasps make jelly !" said Harry, reso- 
lutely, while he opened the window, and shook 
the happy wasp out of his pocket-handkerchief. 

Mrs Crabtree allowed no pet of any descrip- 
tion in her territories, and ordered the children 
to be happy without any such nonsense. When 
Laura's canary-bird escaped one unlucky day out 
of its cage, Mrs Crabtree was strongly suspected 
by Major Graham of having secretly opened the 
door, as she had long declared war upon bull- 
finches, white mice, parrots, kittens, dogs, ban- 
tams, and gold fish, observing that animals only 



8 CHIT CHAT. 

made a noise and soiled the house, therefore every 
beast should remain in its own home, " birds in 
the air, fish in the sea, and beasts in the desert." 
She seemed always watching, in hopes Harry and 
Laura might do something that they ought to be 
punished for : and Mrs Crabtree certainly had more 
ears than other people, or slept with one eye open, 
as, whatever might be done, night or day, she 
overheard the lowest whisper of mischief, and ap- 
peared able to see what was going on in the 
dark. 

When Harry was a yery little boy, he some- 
times put himself in the corner, after doing any- 
thing wrong, apparently quite sensible that he 
deserved to be punished, and once after being 
terribly scolded by Mrs Crabtree, he drew in his 
stool beside her chair, with a funny, penitent face, 
twirling his thumbs over and over each other, and 
saying, " Now, Mrs Crabtree ! look what a good 
boy I am going to be !" 

" You a good boy !" replied she, contemptu- 
ously : " JN T o ! no ! the world will be turned into 
a cream-cheese first !" 

Lady Harriet gave Harry and Laura a closet 
of their own, in which she allowed them to keep 
their toys, and nobody could help laughing to 
see that, amidst the whole collection, there was 
seldom one unbroken. Frank wrote out a list 



CHIT CHAT. 9 

once of what lie found in this crowded little store- 
room, and amused himself often with reading it 
oyer afterwards. There were three dolls with- 
out faces, a horse with no legs, a drum with a 
hole in the top, a cart without wheels, a churn with 
no bottom, a kite without a tail, a skipping-rope 
with no handles, and a cup and ball that had lost 
the string. Lady Harriet called this closet the 
hospital for decayed toys, and she often employed 
herself as their doctor, mending legs and arms for 
soldiers, horses, and dolls, though her skill sel- 
dom succeeded long ; because playthings must 
have been made of cast-iron to last a week with 
Harry. One cold winter morning, when Laura en- 
tered the nursery, she found a large fire blazing, 
and all her wax dolls sitting in a row staring 
at the flames. Harry intended no mischief on 
this occasion, but great was his vexation when 
Laura burst into tears, and shewed him that their 
faces were running in a hot stream down upon 
their beautiful silk frocks, which were completely 
ruined, and not a doll had its nose remaining. 
Another time, Harry pricked a hole in his own 
beautiful largo gas-ball, wishing to see how the 
gas could possibly escape, after which, in a mo- 
ment, it shrivelled up into a useless empty blad- 
der ; and when his kite was flying up to the clouds, 
Harry often wished that he co"'4 be tied to the 



10 CHIT CHAT. 

tail himself, so as to fly also through the air like 
a bird, and sec every thing. 

Mrs Crabtree always Avore a prodigious bunch 
of jingling keys in her pocket, that rung when- 
ever she moved, as if she carried a dinner-bell in 
her pocket, and Frank said it was like a rattle- 
snake, giving warning of her approach, which was 
of great use, as everybody had time to put on a 
look of good behaviour before she arrived. Even 
Betty, the under nurserymaid, felt in terror of 
Mrs Crabtree's entrance, and was obliged to worfe 
harder than any six housemaids united. Frank 
told her one day that he thought brooms might 
soon be invented, which would go by steam and 
brush carpets of themselves ; but, in the mean 
time, not a grain of dust could lurk in any corner 
of the nursery without being dislodged. Betty 
would have required ten hands, and twenty pair 
of feet, to do all the work that was expected ; but 
the grate looked like jet, the windows would not 
have soiled a cambric handkerchief, and the car- 
pet was switched with so many tea-leaves, that 
Frank thought Mrs Crabtree often took several 
additional cups of tea in order to leave a plenti- 
ful supply of leaves for sweeping the floor next 
morning. 

If Laura and Harry left any breakfast, Mrs 
Crabtree kept it carefully till dinner time, when 



CHIT CHAT. 11 

they were obliged to finish the whole before tast- 
ing meat ; and if they refused it at dinner, the 
remains were kept for supper. Mrs Crabtree 
always informed them that she did it " for their 
good," though Harry never could see any good 
that it did to either of them ; and when she men- 
tioned how many poor children would be glad to 
cat what they despised, he often wished the hun- 
gry beggars had some of his own hot dinner, which 
he would gladly have spared to them ; for Harry 
Avas really so generous, that he would have lived 
upon air, if he might be of use to anybody. Time 
passed on, and Lady Harriet engaged a master 
for some hours a-day to teach the children lessons, 
while even Mrs Crabtree found no other fault to 
Harry and Laura, except that in respect to good 
behaviour their memories were like a sieve, which 
let out everything they were desired to keep in 
mind. They seemed always to hope, somehow or 
other, that when Mrs Crabtree once turned her 
back, she would never shew her face again ; so 
their promises of better conduct were all " wind 
without rain," very loud, and plenty of them, but 
no good effect to be seen afterwards. 

Among her many other torments, Mrs Crabtree 
rolled up Laura's hair every night on all sides o. 
her head, in large stiff* curl-papers, till they were as 
round and hard a?> walnuts, after which she tied 



12 CHIT CHAT. 

on a night-cap. as tightly as possible above all, 
saying this would curl the hair still better. Laura 
could not 'ay any part of her head on the pillow, 
without surfcring so much pain, that, night after 
night, she sat up in bed, after Mrs Crab tree had 
bustled out of the room, and quietly took the cruel 
papers out, though she was punished so severely 
for doing so, that she obeyed orders at last, and 
lay wide awake half the night with torture ; and 
it was but small comfort to Laura afterwards, that 
Lady Harriet's visitors frequently admired the fo- 
rest of long, glossy ringlets that adorned her head, 
and complimented Mrs Crabtree on the trouble it 
must cost her to keep that charming hair in order. 
Often did Laura wish that it were ornamenting 
any wig-block, rather than her own head ; and one 
day Lady Harriet laughed heartily, when some 
strangers admired her little grandaughter's ring- 
lets, and Laura asked, very anxiously, if they would 
like to cut oil" a few of the longest, and keep them 
for her sake. 

" Your hair does curl like a cork-screw," said 
Frank, laughing. " If I want to draw a cork out of 
a beer bottle any day, 1 shall borrow one of those 
ringlets, Laura !" 

" You may laugh, Frank ; for it is fun to you, 
and death to me," answered poor Laura, gravely 
shaking her curls at him. " I wish we were all 



CHIT CHAT. 13 

bald, like uncle David ! During the night I can- 
not lie still, on account of those tiresome curls, 
and all day I dare not stir for fear of spoiling them ; 
so they are never out of my head." 

" Nor off your head ! How pleasant it must 
he to have Mrs Crahtree comhing and scolding, 
and scolding and combing, for hours every day ! 
Poor Laura! we must get Dr Bell to say that 
they shall be taken off on pain of death, and then, 
perhaps, grandmama would order some Irish reap- 
ers to cut tliem down with a sickle." 

" Frank ! what a lucky boy you are., to be at 
school, and not in the nursery ! I wish next year 
would come immediately, for then I shall have a 
governess, after which goodbye to Mrs Crabtree. 
and the wearisome curl-papers." 

" I don't like school !" said Harry. " It is per- 
fect nonsense to plague me with lessons now. All 
big people can read and write, so, of course I 
shall somehow be able to do like others. There is 
no hurry about it !" 

Never was there a more amiable, pious, excel- 
lent boy than Frank, who read his Bible so atten- 
tively, and said his prayers so regularly every 
morning and evening, that he soon learned both 
to know his duty and to do it. Though he laughed 
heartily at the scrapes which Harry and Laura 
so constantly fell into he often also helped them 



14 CI1TT CIIAT. 

out of their difficulties , being very different from 
most elderly boys, who find an odd kind of plea- 
sure in teasing younger children — pulling their 
hair — pinching their arms — twitching away their 
dinners — and twenty more plans for tormenting, 
which Frank never attempted to enjoy, but he 
often gave Harry and Laura a great deal of kind, 
sober, good advice, which they listened to very 
attentively while they were in any new distress, 
but generally forgot again as soon as their spirits 
rose. Frank came home only upon Saturdays and 
Sundays, because he attended during most of the 
week at Mr Hannay's academy, where he gradual- 
ly became so clever that the masters all praised his 
extraordinary attention, and covered him with me- 
dals, while Major Graham often filled his pockets 
with a reward of money, after which he ran to- 
wards the nearest shop to spend his little for- 
tune in buying a present for somebody. Frank 
scarcely ever wanted any thing for himself, but 
he always wished to contrive some kind, generous 
plan for other people ; and Major Graham used to 
say, " if that boy had only sixpence in tin world, 
he would lay it all out on penny tarts to distri- 
bute among half-a-dozen of his friends.'' lie even 
saved his pocket-money once, during three wholo 
months, to purchase a gown for Mrs Crabtrce, who 
looked ^'uost good-humcurcd during the space 



CHiT CHAT. 15 

of five minutes, when Frank presented it to her, 
saying, in his joyous, merry voice, "Mrs Crab tree! 
£ wish you health to wear it, strength to tear it, 
and money to buy another !" 

Certainly there never was such a gown before ! 
It had been chosen by Frank and Harry together, 
who thought nothing could be more perfect. The 
colour was so bright an apple-green, that it would 
have put anybody's teeth on edge to look at it, 
and the whole was dotted over with large, round 
spots of every colour, as if a box of wafers had 
been showered upon the surface. Laura wished 
Mrs Crabtree might receive a present every day. 
as it put her in such good humour, and nearly 
three weeks passed without a single scold being 
heard in the nursery ; so Frank observed that he 
thought Mrs Crabtree would soon be quite out of 
practice. 

" Laura !" said Major Graham, looking very sly 
one morning, " have you heard all the new rules 
that Mrs Crabtree has made?" 

" No !" replied she, in great alarm ; " what are 
they 1" 

" In the first place, you are positively not to 
tear and destroy above three frocks a-day ; se- 
condly, you and Harry must never get into a pas- 
sion, unless you are angry ; thirdly, when either 
of you take medicine, you are not to make wry 



16 cnrrcnA?. 

faces, except when the taste is bad ; fourthly, you 
must never speak ill of Mrs Crabtree herself, till 
she is out of the room; fifthly, you are not to jump 
out of the windows, as long as you can get out 
at the door" 

" Yes !" interrupted Laura, laughing, " and 
sixthly, when uncle David is joking, we are not 
to be frightened by anything he says !'' 

" Seventhly, when next you spill grandmama's 
bottle of ink, Harry must drink up every drop." 

" Very well ! he may swallow a sheet of blot- 
ting paper afterwards, to put away the taste." 

" I wish every body who writes a book, was 
obliged to swallow it," said Harrr. " It is such 
a waste of time reading, when we might be amu- 
sing ourselves. Frank sat mooning over a book 
for two hours yesterday when Ave wanted him to 
play. I am sure some day his head will burst 
with knowledge." 

" That can never happen to you, Master Harry,'' 
answered Major Graham ; " you have a head, and 
bo has a pin ; but there is not much furniture in 
either of them." 



CHAPTER II. 



TUB GRAND FEAST. 

She gave them some tea without any bread, 
fcfce whipp'd them all soundly, and sent them to bed. 

Nursery Rhymu, 

Lady Harriet Graham was an extremely thin, 
tlelicate, old lady, with a very pale face and a sweet, 
gentle voice, which the children delighted to hear, 
for it always spoke kindly to them, and sounded, 
like music, after the loud, rough tones of Mra 
Crabtree. She wore her own grey hair, which had 
become almost as white as the widow's cap which 
covered her head. The rest of her dress was ge- 
nerally black velvet, and she usually sat in a com- 
fortable arm-chair by the fireside, watching her 
grandchildren at play, with a large work-bag by 
her side, and a prodigious Bible open on the table- 
before her. Lady Harriet often said that it made 
her young again to see the joyous gambols of 
Harry and Laura ; and when unable any longer to 



18 THE GRAND FEAST. 

bear then* noise, she sometimes kept them quiet, 
by telling them the most delightful stories about 
■what had happened to herself when she was young. 

Once upon a time, however, Lady Harriet sud- 
denly became so very ill, that Dr Bell said she 
must spend a few days in the country, for change 
of air, and accordingly she determined on passing 
a quiet week at Holiday House with her relations, 
Lord and Lady Rockville. Meanwhile, Harry and 
Laura were to be left under the sole care of Mrs 
Crabtree, so it might have been expected that they 
would both feel more frightened for her, now that 
she was reigning monarch of the house, than ever. 
Harry would obey those he loved, if they only held 
up a little finger ; but all the terrors of Mrs Crab- 
tree, and her cat-o'-nine-tails, were generally for- 
gotten soon after she left the room ; therefore ho 
thought little at first about the many threats she 
held out, if he behaved ill, but he listened most se- 
riously when his dear, sick grandmama told liim, in 
a faint, weak voice, on the day of her departure 
from home, how very well he ought to behave in 
her absence, as no one remained but the maids to 
keep him in order, and that she hoped Mrs Crab- 
tree would write her a letter full of good news 
about his excellent conduct. 

Harry felt as if he would gladly sit still with- 
out stirring till his grandmama came back, if that 



THE GRAND FEAST. 19 

could only please her ; and there never was any 
one more determined to be a good boy than he, at 
the moment when Lady Harriet's carriage came 
round to the door. Laura, Frank, and Harry, 
helped to carry all the pillows, boxes, books, and 
baskets, which were necessary for the journey, of 
which there seemed to be about fifty ; then they ar- 
ranged the cushions as comfortably as possible, 
and watched yery sorrowfully when their grandma- 
ma, after kindly embracing them both, was carefully 
supported by Major Graham and her own maid 
Harrison, into the chariot. Uncle David gave 
each of the children a pretty picture-book before 
taking leave, and said, as he was stepping into the 
carriage, " Now, children ! I have only one piece 
of serious, important advice to give you all, so at- 
tend to me ! Never crack nuts Avith your teeth." 

When the carriage had driven off, Mrs Crabtree 
became so busy scolding Betty, and storming at 
Jack the foot-boy, for not cleaning her shoes well 
enough, that she left Harry and Laura standing in 
the passage, not knowing exactly what they ought 
to do first, and Frank, seeing them looking rather 
melancholy and bewildered at the loss of their 
grandmama, stopped a moment as he passed on 
the way to school, and said in a very kind, affec- 
tionate voice, 

" Now, Harry and Laura, listen, both of you— 



20 TUB GRAND FEAST. 

here is a grand opportunity to shew everybody that 
we can be trusted to ourselves, without getting 
into any scrapes, so that if grandmama is ever ill 
again and obliged to go away, she need not feel so 
sad and anxious as she did to-day. I mean to be- 
come nine times more attentive to my lessons than 
usual this morning, to shew how trustworthy we 
are, and if you are wise, pray march straight up to 
the nursery yourselves. I have arranged a gown 
and cap of Mrs Crabtrec's on the large arm-chair, 
to look as like herself as possible, that you may be 
reminded how soon she will come back, and you 
must not behave like the mice when the cat is out. 
Goodbye ! Say the alphabet backwards, and count 
your fingers for half-an-hour ; but when Mrs Crab- 
tree appears again, pray do not jump out of the 
window for joy." 

Harry and Laura were proceeding directly to- 
wards the nursery, as Frank had recommended, 
when unluckily they observed in passing the draw- 
ing-room door, that it was wide open; so Harry 
peeped in, and they began idly wandering round 
the tables and cabinets. Not ten minutes elapsed 
before they both commenced racing about as if 
they were mad, perfectly screaming with joy, and 
laughing so loudly at their own funny tricks, that 
an old gentleman who lived next door very nearly 
Bent in a message to ask what the joke was. 



THE GRAND FEAST. 21 

Presently Harry and Laura ran up and down 
stairs till the housemaid was quite fatigued with 
running after them. They jumped upon the fine 
damask sofas in the drawing-room, stirred the fire 
till it was in a blaze, and rushed out on the balcony, 
upsetting one or two geraniums and a myrtle. 
They spilt Lady Harriet's perfumes over their 
handkerchiefs, — they looked into all the beautiful 
books of pictures, — they tumbled many of tho 
pretty Dresden china figures on the floor;, — they 
wound up the little French clock till it was broken 
— they made the musical work-box play its tunes 
and set the Chinese mandarins a-nodding, till the} 
very nearly nodded their heads off. In short, sa 
much mischief has seldom been done in so short a 
time, till at last Harry, perfectly worn out with 
laughing and running, threw himself into a large 
arm-chair, and Laura, with her ringlets tumbling 
in frightful confusion over her face, and the beads 
of her coral necklace rolling on the floor, tossed 
herself into a sofa beside him. 

'' Oh ! what fun !" cried Harry, in an ecstacy of 
delight. " I wish Frank had been here, and crowds 
of little boys and girls, to play with us all day ! 
It would be a good joke, Laura, to write and ask 
all our little cousins and companions to drink tea 
here to-morrow evening ! Their mamas could 
never guess we had not leave from grandmama 



22 THE GRAND FEAST. 

to invite everybody, so I daresay we might gather 
quite a large party ! oh ! how enchanting !" 

Laura laughed heartily when she heard this pro- 
posal of Harry's, and without hesitating a moment 
about it, she joyously placed herself before Lady 
Harriet's writing-table, and scribbled a multitude 
of little notes, in large text, to more than twenty 
young friends, all of whom had at other times been 
asked by Lady Harriet to spend the evening with 
her. 

Laura felt very much puzzled to know what was 
usually said in a card of invitation ; but after many 
consultations, she and Harry thought at last that 
it was very nicely expressed, for they wrote these 
words upon a large sheet of paper to each of their 
friends :— 

" Master Harry Graham and Miss Laura wish 
you to have the honour of drinking tea with us to- 
morrow at six o'clock. 

(Signed) " Harry and Laura." 

Laura afterwards singed a hole in her muslin 
frock, while lighting one of the Vesta matches to 
seal these numerous notes; and Harry dropped 
some burning sealir.g-wax on his hand, in the hurry 
of assisting her ; but he thought that little acci- 
dent no matter, an d ran away to see if the carda 
could be sent off im mediately. 



THE GRAND FEASff. 23 

Now, there lived in the house a very old foot- 
man, called Andrew, who remembered Harry and 
Laura since they were quite little babies ; and he 
often looked exceedingly sad and sorry when they 
suffered punishment from Mrs Crabtree. He was 
ready to do any thing in the world when it pleased 
the children, and would have carried a message to 
the moon, if they had only shewn him the way. 
Many odd jobs and private messages he had al- 
ready been employed in by Harry, who now called 
Andrew up stairs, entreating him to carry out all 
those absurd notes as fast as possible, and to de- 
liver them immediately, as they were of the great- 
est consequence. Upon hearing this, old Andrew 
lost not a moment, but threw on his hat, and in- 
stantly started off, looking like the twopenny post- 
man, he carried such a prodigious parcel of invita- 
tions, while Harry and Laura stood at the drawing- 
room window, almost screaming with joy when 
they saw him set out, and when they observed that, 
to oblige them, he actually ran along the street at 
a sort of trot, which was as fast as he could possi- 
bly go. Presently, however, he certainly did stop 
for a single minute, and Laura saw that it was in 
order to take a peep into one of the notes, that he 
might ascertain what they were all about ; but as 
he never carried any letters without doing so, she 
thought that quite natural, and was only very glad 



24 THE GRAND FEAST. 

when lie had finished, and rapidly pursued his way 
again. 

JNcxt morning, Mrs Crabtrce and Betty became 
very much surprised to observe what a number of 
smart livery-servants knocked at the sa-eet door, 
and gave in cards, but their astonishment became 
still greater, when old Andrew brought up a whole 
parcel of them to Harry and Laura, who imme- 
diately broke the seals, and read the contents in a 
corner together. 

" What are you about there, Master Graham V 
cried Mrs Crabtrce, angrily. "How dare anybody 
venture to touch your grandmama's letters 1" 

" They are not for grandmama ! — they are all for 
us! every one of them!" answered Harry, dancing 
about the room with joy, and waving the notes 
over his head. " Look at this direction ! For 
Master and Miss Graham ! put on your spectacles, 
and read it yourself, Mrs Crabtree ! "What de- 
lightful fun ! the house will be as full as an egg ? " 

Mrs Crabtrce seemed completely puzzled what 
to think of all this, and looked so much as if she 
did not know exactly what to be angry at, and so 
ready to be in a passion if possible, that Harry 
burst out a-laughing, while he said, " Only think, 
Mrs Crabtree ! here is everybody coming to tea 
with us ! — all my cousins, besides Peter Grey, 
John Stewart, Charles Forrester, Anna Perceval, 



THE GKAND FEAST. 25 

Diana Wentworth, John Fordyce, Edmund Ash- 
ford, Frank Abercroniby, Ned Kussell, and Tom 



" The boy is distracted !" exclaimed Betty, sta- 
ring with astonishment. " What does all this mean, 
Master Harry 1" 

" And who gave you leave to invite company in- 
to your grandmama's house ?" cried Mrs Crabtree, 
snatching np all the notes, and angrily thrusting 
them into the fire. " I never heard of such doings 
in all my life before, Master Harry ! but as sure 
as eggs are eggs, you shall repent of this, for not 
one morsel of cake or anything else shall you have 
to give any of the party ; no ! not so much as a 
crust of bread, or a thimbleful of tea !" 

Harry and Laura had never thought of such a 
catastrophe as this before ; they always saw a great 
table covered with everything that could be named 
for tea, whenever their little friends came to visit 
tliem ; and whether it rose out of the floor, or was 
brought by Aladdin's lamp, they never considered 
it possible that the table would not be provided as 
usual on such occasions ; so this terrible speech 
of Mrs Crabtree's frightened them out of their 
wits. What was to be done ! They both knew by 
experience that she always did what she threat- 
ened, or something a great deal worse, so they be- 
gan by bursting into tears, and begging Mrs Crab- 



2tJ THE GRAND FEAST. 

tree for this once to excuse theni, and to give some 
takes and tea to their little visitors ; but they 
might as well have spoken to one of the Chinese 
mandarins, for she only shook her head with a 
positive look, declaring over and over and over 
again that nothing should appear upon the table 
except what was always brought up for their owi\ 
supper—two biscuits and two cups of milk. 

" Therefore say no more about it !" added she, 
sternly. " I am your best friend, Master Harry, 
trying to teach you and Miss Laura your duty ; so 
save your breath to cool your porridge." 

Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with 
fright and vexation when they thought of what was 
to happen next, while Mrs Crabtree sat down to her 
knitting, grumbling to herself, and dropping her 
stitches every minute, with rage and irritation. Old 
Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after he heard what 
distress and difficulty Harry was in ; and when 
the hour for the party approached, he very good- 
naturedly spread out a large table in the dining- 
room, where he put down as many cups, saucers, 
plates, and spoons, as Laura chose to direct ; but 
in spite of all his trouble, though it looked very 
grand, there was nothing whatever to eat or drink 
except the two dry biscuits, and the two miserabl-j 
cups of milk, which seemed to become smallet 
every time that Harry looked at them 



THE GRAND FEAST. 27 

Presently the clock struck six, and Harry listen- 
ed to the hour very much as a prisoner would do in 
the condemned cell in Newgate, feeling that the 
dreaded time was at last arrived. Soon afterwards 
several handsome carriages drove up to the door, 
filled with little Masters and Misses, who hurried 
joyfully into the house, talking and laughing all 
the way up stairs, while poor Harry and Laura al- 
most wished the floor would open and swallow them 
up ; so they shrunk into a distant corner of the 
room, quite ashamed to shew their faces. 

The young ladies were all dressed in their best 
frocks, with pink sashes, and pink shoes ; while 
the little boys appeared in their holiday clothes, 
with their hair newly brushed, and their faces 
washed. The whole party had dined at two o'clock, 
so they were as hungry as hawks, looking eagerly 
round, whenever they entered, to see what was on 
the tea-table, and evidently surprised that nothing- 
had yet been put down. Laura and Harry soon 
afterwards heard their visitors whispering to each 
other about Norwich buns, rice-cakes, spunge bis- 
cuits, and macaroons ; while Peter Grey was loud 
in praise of a party at George Lorraine's the night 
before, where an immense plum-cake had been su- 
gared over like a snow-storm, and covered with 
crowds of beautiful amusing mottoes ; not to men- 
tion a quantity of noisy crackers, that exploded 



28 THE GRAND FEAST. 

like pistols ; besides which, a glass of hot jelly had 
been handed to each little guest before he was 
sent home. 

Every time the door opened, all eyes were 
anxiously turned round, expecting a grand feast to 
be brought in ; but quite the contrary — it was only 
Andrew shewing up more hungry visitors ; while 
Harry felt so unspeakably wretched, that, if some 
kind fairy could only have turned him into a Nor- 
wich bun at the moment, he would gladly have con- 
sented to be cut in pieces, that his ravenous guests 
might be satisfied. 

Charles Forrester was a particularly good-na- 
tured boy, so Harry at last took courage and beck- 
oned him into a remote corner of the room, where 
he confessed, in whispers, the real state of affairs 
about tea, and how sadly distressed he and Laura 
felt, because they had nothing whatever to give 
among so many visitors, seeing that Mrs Crab- 
tree kept her determination of affording them no 
pi'ovi3ions. 

" What is to be done V said Charles, very 
anxiously, as he felt extremely Borry for his little 
A'icnds. " If mama had been at home, she would 
gladly have sent whatever you liked for tea, but 
unluckily she is dining out ! I saw a loaf of bread 
lying ui a table at home this evening, which she 
v. on id make you quite welcome to! Shall I run 



THE GRAND FEAST. 29 

home, as fast as possible, to fetch it ? That would, 
at any rate, be better than nothing !" 

Poor Charles Forrester was very lame ; there- 
fore, while he talked of running, he could hardly 
walk ; but Lady Forrester's house stood so near 
that he soon reached home, when, snatching up the 
loaf, he hurried hack towards the street with his 
prize, quite delighted to see how large and sub- 
stantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the 
door, however, before the housekeeper ran hastily 
out, saying, 

" Stop, Master Charles! stop ! sure you are not 
running away with the loaf for my tea; and the 
parrot must have her supper too. What do you 
want with that there bread V 

" Never mind, Mrs Comfit !" answered Charles, 
hastening on faster than ever, while he grasped the 
precious loaf more firmly in his hand, and limped 
along at a prodigious rate : " Polly is getting too 
fat, so she will be the better of fastingfor one day." 

Mrs Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became 
very angry at this remark, so she seemed quite 
desperate to recover the loaf, and hurried forward 
to overtake Charles ; but the old housekeeper was 
so heavy and breathless, while the young gentle- 
man was so lame, that it seemed an even chance 
which won the race. Harry stood at his own 
door, impatiently hoping to receive the prize, and 



SO THE GRAND FEAST. 

eagerly strctcluid out his arms to encourage his 
friend, while it was impossible to say which of the 
runners might arrive first. Harry had sometimes 
heard of a race between two old women tied up in 
sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move 
with more difficulty ; but at the very moment when 
Charles had reached the door, he stumbled over a 
stone, and fell on the ground. Mrs Comfit then 
instantly rushed up, and, seizing the loaf, she car- 
ried it off in triumph, leaving the two little friends 
ready to cry with vexation, and quite at a loss what 
plan to attempt next. 

Meantime, a sad riot had arisen in the dining- 
room, where the boys called loudly for their tea ; 
and the young ladies drew their chairs all round 
the table, to wait till it was ready. Still nothing 
appeared ; so everybody wondered more and more 
how long they were to wait for all the nice cakes 
and sweetmeats which must, of course, be coming ; 
for the longer they Avere delayed, the more was ex- 
pected. 

The last at a feast, and the first at a fray, was 
generally Peter Grey, who now lost ]>atience, and 
seized one of the two biscuits, which he was in the 
middle of greedily devouring, when Laura returned 
with Harry to the dining-room, and observed what 
he had done. 

" Peter Grey !" said she- holding up her head- 



THE GRAND FEAST. 31 

and trying to look very dignified, " you are an ex- 
ceedingly naughty boy, to help yourself! As a 
punishment for being so rude, you shall haye no- 
thing more to eat all this evening." 

" If I do not help myself, nobody else seems 
likely to give me any supper ! I appear to be the 
only person "who is to taste any thing to-night," 
answered Peter, laughing, while the impudent boy 
took a cup of milk, and drank it off, saying, 
" Here's to your very good health, Miss Laura, 
and an excellent appetite to everybody !" 

Upon hearing this absurd speech, all the other 
boys began laughing, and made signs, as if they 
were eating their fingers off with hunger. Then 
Peter called Lady Harriet's house "Famine Castle," 
and pretended he would swallow the knives, like an 
Indian juggler. 

" We must learn to live upon air, and here are 
some spoons to eat it with," said John Fordyce. 
" Harry ! shall I help you to a mouthful of moon- 
shine V 

"Peter! would you like a roasted fly?" asked 
Frank Abercromby, catching one on the window. 
" I daresay it is excellent for hungry people, — or 
a slice of buttered wall \ " 

" Or a stewed spider \ " asked Peter. " Shall 
we all be cannibals, and eat one another ? " 

" What is the use of all those forks, when there 



32 THE GRAND FEAST. 

is nothing to stick upon them?"' asked G(">r-o 
Maxwell, throwing them about on the floor. " Xo 
buns ! — no fruit ! — no cakes !— no nothing !" 

" What are we to do with those tea-cups, when 
there is no tea V cried Frank Abercromby, pull- 
ing the table-cloth, till the whole affair fell pros- 
trate on the floor. After this, these riotous boys 
tossed the plates in the air, and caught them, be- 
coming, at last, so outrageous, that poor old An- 
drew called them a " meal mob ! " Never was there 
so much broken china seen in a dining-room before ! 
It all lay scattered on the floor, in countless frag- 
ments, looking as if there had been a bull in a 
china shop, when suddenly Mrs Crabtree herself 
opened the door and walked in, with an aspect of 
rage enough to petrify a milestone. INTow old 
Andrew had long been trying all in his power to 
render the boys quiet and contented. He had 
made them a speech, — he had chased the ring-lead- 
ers all round the room, — and he had thrown his 
stick at Peter, who seemed the most riotous, — but 
all in vain; they became worse and worse, laughing 
into fits, and calling Andrew " the police officer 
and the bailiff." It Avas a very different story, 
however, when Mrs Crabtree appeared, so flaming 
with fury, she might have blown up a powder- 
mill. 

Nobody could help bring afraid of lnr. Even 



THE GRAND FEAST. 33 

Potcr himself stood stock still, and seemed wither- 
ing away to nothing, when she looked at him ; and 
when she began to scold in her most furious man- 
ner, not a boy ventured to look off the ground. A 
large pair of tawse then became visible in her hand, 
so every heart sunk with fright, and the riotous 
visitors began to get behind each other, and to 
huddle out of sight as much as possible, whisper- 
ing, and pushing, and fighting, in a desperate 
scuffle to escape. 

" What is all this !" cried she, at the full pitch 
of her voice; "has bedlam broke loose 1 who smash- 
ed these cups ? I'll break his head for him, let me 
tell you that ! Master Peter ! you should be hissed 
out of the world for your misconduct ; but I shall 
certainly whip you round the room like a whipping- 
top." 

At this moment, Peter observed that the din- 
ing-room window, which was only about six feet 
from the ground, had been left wide open ; so in 
stantly seizing the opportunity, he threw himselt 
out with a single bound, and ran laughing away. 
All the other boys immediately followed his ex- 
ample, and disappeared by the same road; after 
which, Mrs Crabtree leaned far out of the window, 
and scolded loudly, as long as they remained in 
sight, till her face became red. and her voice per- 
fectly hoarse. 



34 THE GRAND FEAST. 

Meantime, the little misses sat eoberly down 
before the empty table, and talked in whispers to 
each other, waiting till their maids came to take 
them home, after which they all hurried away as 
fast as possible, hardly waiting to say "Goodbye," 
and intending to ask for some supper at home. 

During that night, long after Harry and Laura 
had been scolded, whipped, and put to bed, they 
were each heard in different rooms, sobbing and 
crying, as if their very hearts would break, while 
Mrs Crabtree grumbled and scolded toherself, say- 
ing she must do her duty, and make them good 
children, though she were to flay them alive first. 

When Lady Harriet returned home some days 
afterwards, she heard an account of Harry and 
Laura's misconduct from Mrs Crabtree, and the 
whole story was such a terrible case against them, 
that their poor grandmama became perfectly asto- 
nished and shocked, while even uncle David was 
preparing to be very angry ; but before the cul- 
prits appeared, Frank most kindly stepped for- 
ward, and begged that they might be pardoned for 
this once, adding all in his power to excuse Harry 
and Laura, by describing how very penitent they 
had become, and how very severely they had al- 
ready been punished. 

Frank then mentioned all that Harry had told 
him about the starving party, which he related 



THE GRAND FEAST. 35 

with 80 much humour and drollery, that Lady 
Harriet could not help laughing ; so then he saw 
that a victory had been gained, and ran to the nur- 
sery for the two little prisoners. 

Uncle David shook his walking-stick at them, 
and made a terrible face, when they entered ; but 
Harry jumped upon his knee with joy at seeing 
him again, while Laura forgot all her distress, and 
rushed up to Lady Harriet, who folded her in her 
arms, and kissed her most affectionately. 

Not a word was said that day about the tea- 
party, but next morning Major Graham asked 
Harry, very gravely, " if he had read in the news- 
paper the melancholy accounts about several of his 
little companions, who were ill and confined to bed 
from having eat too much at a certain tea-party on 
Saturday last. Poor Peter Grey has been given 
over; and Charles Forrester, it is feared, may not be 
able to eat another loaf of bread for a fortnight !" 

" Oh ! uncle David ! it makes me ill whenever I 
think of that party !" said Harry, colouring per- 
fectly scarlet ; " that was the most miserable even- 
ing of my life !" 

" I must say it was not quite fair in Mrs Crab- 
tree to starve all the strange little boys and girls, 
who came as visitors to my house, without know- 
ing who had invited them," observed Lady Har- 
riet. " Probably those unlucky children will never 



80 THE GRAND FEAS1. 

forgot, as long as they live, that scanty supper in 
our dining-room." 

And it turned out exactly as Lady Harriet had 
predicted ; for though they were all asked to tea, 
'n proper form, the very next Saturday, when Ma- 
,or Graham showered torrents of sugar-plums on 
the table, while the children scrambled to pick 
them up, and the sideboard almost broke down 
afterwards under the weight of buns, cakes, cheese- 
cakes, biscuits, fruit, and preserves, which were 
heaped upon each other — yet, for years after- 
wards, Peter Grey, whenever he ate a particularly 
enormous dinner, always observed, that he must 
make up for having once been starved at Harry 
Graham's ; and whenever any one of those little 
boys or girls again happened to meet Harry or 
Laura, they were sure to laugh and say, " When 
are you going to give us another 

" cMLVND FEAST.' 



CHAPTER III. 



THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

Fire rage9 with fury wherever it comes, 
If only one spark should be dropped ; 
Whole houses, or cities, sometimes it consumes, 
Where its violence cannot be stopped. 

One night, about eight o'clock, Harry and Laura 
were playing in the nursery, building houses with 
bricks, and trying who could raise the highest 
tower without letting it fall, when suddenly they 
were startled to hear every bell in the house ring- 
ing violently, while the servants seemed running 
up and down stairs, as if they were distracted. 

" What can be the matter ?" cried Laura, turning 
round and listening, while Harry quietly took this 
opportunity to shake the wiHs of her castle till it 
fell. 

" The very house is coming down about your 
ears, Laura !" said Harry, enjoying his little bit of 
mischief. " I should like to be Andrew, now, for 
five minutes, that I might answer those fifty bells, 

4 



38 THE TERRIBLE FIRK. 

and sec what has happened. Uncle David must 
be wanting coals, candles, tea, toact, and soda- 
water, all at once ! What a bustle everybody ia 
in ! There ! the bells are ringing again, worse than 
ever ! Something wonderful is going on ! What 
can it be V 

Presently Betty ran breathlessly into the room, 
saying that Mrs Crabtree ought to come down stairs 
immediately, as Lady Harriet had been suddenly 
taken very ill, and, till the Doctor arrived, nobody 
knew what to do ; so she must give her advice and 
assistance. 

Harry and Laura felt excessively shocked to 
hear this alarming news, and listened with grave 
attention, while Mrs Crabtree told them how ama- 
zingly Avell they ought to behave in her absence, 
when they were trusted alone in the nursery, with 
nobody to keep them in order, or to see what they 
were doing, especially now, as their grandinama 
had been taken ill, and would require to be kept 
quiet. 

Harry sat in his chair, and might have been 
painted as the very picture of a good boy during 
nearly twenty minutes after .Mrs Crabtree depart- 
ed ; and Laura placed herself opposite to him, try- 
ing to follow so excellent an example, while they 
scarcely spoke above a whisper, wondering what 
could be the matter with their grandinama, an J 



TRE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

wishing for once to see Mrs Crab tree again, that 
they might hear how she was. Any one who had 
observed Harry and Laura at that time, would have 
wondered to see two such quiet, excellent, respect- 
able children, and wished that all little boys and 
girls were made upon the same pattern ; but pre- 
sently they began to think that probably Lady 
Harriet was not so very ill, as no more bells had 
rung during several minutes, and Harry ventured 
to look about for some better amusement than sit- 
ting still. 

At this moment Laura unluckily perceived on 
the table near where they sat, a pair of Mrs Crab- 
tree's best scissors, which she had been positively 
forbid to touch. The long troublesome ringlets 
were as usual hanging over her eyes in a mos* 
teasing manner, so she thought what a good oppor- 
tunity this might be to shorten them a very little, 
not above an inch or two ; and without consider- 
ing a moment longer, she slipped upon tiptoe, with 
a frightened look, round the table, and picked up 
the scissors in her hand, then hastening towards 
a looking-glass, she began snipping off the ends 
of her hair. Laura was much diverted to see it 
showering down upon the floor, so she cut and 
cut on, while the curls fell thicker and faster, till 
at last the whole floor was covered with them, and 
scarcely a hair left upon her head. Harry went 



40 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

into fits of laughing when he perceived what a ridi- 
culous figure Laura had made of herself, and he 
turned her round and round to see the havoc she 
had made, saying, 

" You should give all this hair to Mr Mills the 
upholsterer, to stuff grandmama's arm-chair with ! 
At any rate, Laura, if Mrs Crabtree is ever so an- 
gry, she can hardly pull you by the hair of the head 
again ! What a sound sleep you will have to-night, 
with no hard curl-papers to torment you!" 

Harry had been told five hundred times never 
to touch the candles, and threatened with twenty 
different punishments if he ever ventured to do 
so ; but now he amused himself with trying to 
snuff one till he snuffed it out. Then he lighted 
it again, and tried the experiment once more, but 
again the teasing candle went out. as if on purposo 
to plague him ; so he felt quite provoked. Having 
lighted it once more, Harry prepared to carry the 
candlestick with him towards the inner nursery, 
though afraid to make the smallest noise, in case 
it might be taken from him. Before he had gone 
five steps, down dropped the extinguisher, then 
followed the snuffers with a great crash ; but Laura 
seemed too busy cropping her ringlets, to notice 
what was going on. All the way along upon the 
floor, Harry let fall a perfect shower of hot wax, 
which spotted the nursery-carpel from the table 



THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 41 

where lie had found the candle, into the next room, 
where he disappeared, and shut the door, that no 
one might interfere with what he liked to do. 

After he had been absent some time, the door 
was hastily opened again, and Laura felt surprised 
to see Harry come back with his face as red as 
a stick of sealing-wax, and his large eyes staring 
wider than they had ever stared before, with a 
look of rueful consternation. 

" What is the matter 1 " exclaimed Laura, in a 
terrified voice. " Has anything dreadful happened? 
Why do you look so frightened and so surprised V 

" Oh dear ! oh dear ! what shall I do 1" cried 
Harry, who seemed scarcely to know how he spoke, 
or where he was. " I don't know what to do 
Laura !'' 

" What can be the matter 1 do tell me at once, 
Harry," said Laura, shaking with apprehension. 
" Speak as fast as you can !" 

" Will you not tell Mrs Crab tree, nor grand- 
mama, nor anybody else ? " cried Harry, bursting 
into tears. '' I am so very, very sorry, and so 
frightened ! Laura ! do you know, I took a candle 
into the next room, merely to play with it." 

" Well ! go on, Harry ! go on ! What did you 
do with the candle"?" 

" I only put it on the bed for a single minute, 
to see how the flame would look there. Well ! do 



42 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

you know, it blazed away famously, and then all 
the bedclothes began burning too ! Oh ! there is 
such a terrible fire in the next room ! you never 
saw anything like it ! what shall we do ? If old 
Andrew were to come up, do you think he could 
put it out ? I have shut the door, that Mrs Crab- 
tree may not see the flames. Be sure, Laura, to 
tell nobody but Andrew." 

Laura became terrified at the way she saw poor 
Harry in, but when she opened the door to find 
out the real state of affairs, oh ! what a dreadful 
sight was there ! all the beds were on fire, while 
bright, red flames were blazing up to the roof of 
the room with a fierce, roaring noise, which it was 
perfectly frightful to hear. She screamed aloud 
with terror at this alarming scene, while Harry 
did all he could to quiet her, and even put his 
hand over her mouth, that her cries might not be 
heard. Laura now struggled to get loose, and 
called louder and louder, till at last every maid 
in the house came racing up stairs, three steps at 
a time, to know what was the matter. Immediate- 
ly upon seeing the flames, they all began screaming 
too, in such a loud, discordant May, that it sound- 
ed as if a whole flight of crows had come into 
the passages. Never was there such an uproar 
heard in the house I cfore ; for the walls echoed 
with a general cry ol " Fire I £re ! fire ! " 



THE TEKRIBLE PIKE. 43 

Up flew Mrs Crabtree towards the nursery like 
a sky-rocket, scolding furiously, talking louder 
than all the others put together, and asking who 
had set the house on fire, while Harry and Laura 
scarcely knew whether to be most frightened for 
the raging flames or the raging Mrs Crabtree ,' 
but, in the mean time, they both shrunk into the 
smallest possible size, and hid themselves behind 
a door. 

During all this confusion, old Andrew luckily 
remembered that in the morning there had been 
a great washing in the laundry, where large tubs 
full of water were standing, so he called to the 
few maids who had any of their senses remain- 
ing, desiring them to assist in carrying up some 
buckets, that they might be emptied on the burn- 
ing beds, to extinguish the flames if possible. 
Everybody was now in a hurry, and all elbow- 
ing each other out of the way, while it was most 
extraordinary to see how old Andrew exerted him- 
self, as if he had been a fireman all his life, while 
Mrs Marmalade, the fat cook, who could hardly 
carry herself up stairs in general, actively as- 
sisted to bring up the great, heavy tubs, and to 
pour them out like a cascade upon the burning 
curtains, till the nursery-floor looked like a duck- 
pond. 



44 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

Meantime, Harry and Laura added to the run- 
fusion as much as they could, and were busier than 
anybody, stealing down the back stairs whenever 
Mrs Crabtree was not in sight, and filling their 
little jugs with watsr, which they brought up, as 
fast as possible, and dashed upon the flames, till 
at last, it is to be feared, they began to feel quite 
amused with the bustle, and to be almost sorry 
when the conflagration diminished. At one time, 
Laura very nearly set her frock on fire, as she 
ventured too near, but Harry pulled her back, and 
then courageously advanced to discharge a shower 
from his own little jug, remaining stationary to 
watch the effect, till his face was almost scorched. 

At last the fire became less and less, till it went 
totally out, but not before the nursery furniture 
had been reduced to perfect ruins, besides which, 
Betty had her arm sadly burned in the confusion. 
Mrs Marmalade's cap was completely destroyed, 
and Mrs Crabtree' s best gown had so large a hole 
burned in the skirt, that she never could wear it 
again. 

After all was quiet, and the fire completely ex- 
tinguished, Major Graham took Laura down stairs 
to Lady Harriet's dressing-room, that she might 
tell the whole particulars of how this alarming ac- 
cident happened in the nursery ; for nobody could 



THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 45 

guess what had caused so sudden and dreadful a 
fire, which seemed to have been as unexpected as 
a flash of lightning. 

Lady Harriet had felt so terrified by the noise 
and confusion, that she was out of bed, sitting up 
in an arm-chair, supported by pillows, Avhen Laura 
entered, at the sight of whom, with her well-crop- 
ped head, she uttered an exclamation of perfect 
amazement. 

" Why ! who on earth is that ? Laura, my dear 
child ! what has become of all your hair ? Were 
your curls burned off in the fire ? or did the fright 
make you grow bald ? What is the meaning of all 
this?" 

Laura turned perfectly crimson with shame and 
distress, for she now felt convinced of her own 
great misconduct about the scissors and curls ; but 
she had been taught on all occasions to speak the 
truth, and would rather have died than told a lie, 
or even allowed any person to believe what was 
not true, therefore she answered in a low, fright- 
ened voice, while the tears came into her eyes, 
" My hair has not been burned off, grandmama ! 
but— but— " 

" Well, child ! speak out !" said Lady Harriet, 
impatiently. " Did some hairdresser come to the 
house and rob you ? " 

" Or, are you like the ladies of Carthage, who 



46 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

gave their long hair for bows and arrows ?" asked 
Major Graham. " I never saw such a little fright 
in my life as you look now ; but tell us all about 
it." 

" I have been quite as naughty as Harry !" an- 
swered Laura, bursting into tears, and sobbing 
with grief; " I was cutting off my hair with Mrs 
Crabtrce's scissors all the time that he was setting 
the nursery on fire !" 

" Did any mortal ever hear of two such little 
torments!" exclaimed Major Graham, hardly able 
to help laughing. " I wonder if anybody else in 
the world has such mischievous children ! " 

" It is certainly very strange that you and 
Harry never can contrive to be three hours out of a 
scrape !" said Lady Harriet, gravely ; "now Frank, 
on the contrary, never forgets what I bid him do. 
You might suppose he carried Mrs Crabtree in his 
pocket, to remind him constantly of his duty ; but 
there are not two such boys in the world as Frank !" 
" No," added Major Graham ; " Harry set the 
house on fire, and Frank will set the Thames on 
fire!" 

When Laura saw uncle David put on one of his 
funny looks, while he spoke in this way to Lady 
Harriet, she almost forgot her former fright, and 
became surprised to observe hergrandmama busily 
preparing what she called a coach- wheel, which had 



THE TERRIBLE FIRE. d7 

been often given as a treat to Harry and herself 
when they were particularly good. This delightful 
wheel was manufactured by taking a whole round 
slice of the loaf, in the centre of which was placed 
a large teaspoonful of jelly, after which long spokes 
of marmalade, jam, and honey, were made to di- 
verge most tastefully in every direction towards 
the crust ; and Laura watched the progress of this 
business with great interest and anxiety, wonder- 
ing if it could be hoped that her grandmama real- 
ly meant to forgive all her misconduct during the 
day. 

" That coach- wheel is, of course, meant for me !" 
said Major Graham, pretending to be very hungry, 
and looking slyly at Laura. " It tannot possibly 
be intended for our little hairdresser here !'' 

" Yes, it is !" answered Lady Harriet, smiling. 
" I have some thoughts of excusing Laura this 
time, because she always tellsme the truth, without 
attempting to conceal any foolish thing she does. 
It Avill be very long before she has any hair to cu- 
off again, so I hope she may be older and wiser by 
that time, especially considering that every looking- 
glass she sees for six months will make her feel 
ashamed of herself. She certainly deserves some 
reward for having prevented the house to-night 
from being burned to the ground." 

" I am glad you think so, because hero is a shil- 



£8 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

ling that lias been burning in my pocket for the 
last few minutes, as I wished to bestow it on Laura 
for having saved all our lives, and if she had be- 
haved still better, I might perhaps have given her 
a gold watch !" 

Laura was busily employed in eating her coach- 
wheel, and trying to fancy what the gold watch 
would have looked like which she might probably 
have got from uncle David, when suddenly the door 
burst open, and Mrs Crabtree hurried into the 
room, with a look of surprise and alarm, her face 
as red as a poppy, and her eyes fixed on the hole 
in her best gown, while she spoke so loud and 
angrily, that Laura almost trembled. 

" If you please, my lady ! where can Master 
Harry be 1 I cannot find him in any corner ! — 
we have been searching all over the house, up stairs 
and down stairs, in vain. Not a garret or a closet 
but has been ransacked, and nobody can guess what 
has become of him !" 

" Did you look up the chimney, Mrs Crabtree ?" 
asked Major Graham, laughing to Bee how excited 
she looked. 

" 'Deed, Sir ! it is, no joke," answered Mrs 
Crabtree, sulkily ; " I am almost afraid Master 
Harry has been burned in the fire ! The last time 
LYtty saw him, he was throwing a jug of water 
into the flames, and no one has ever seen or heard 



TIIE TERRIBLE FIRE. 49 

of him since ! There is a great many ashes and 
cinders lying about the room, and " 

" Do you think, in sober seriousness, Mrs Crab- 
tree, that Harry would melt away like a wax-doll, 
without asking anybody to extinguish him \ " said 
Major Graham, smiling. " No ! no ! little boys 
are not quite so easily disposed of. I shall find 
Harry in less than five minutes, if he is above 
ground." 

But uncle David was quite mistaken in expect- 
ing to discover Harry so easily, for he searched 
and searched in vain. He looked into every pos- 
sible or impossible place — the library, the kitchen, 
the garrets, the laundry, the drawing-room, all 
without success, — he peeped under the tables, be- 
hind the curtains, over the beds, beneath the pil- 
lows, and into Mrs Crabtree's bonnet-box, — he 
even opened the tea-chest, and looked out at the 
window, in case Harry had tumbled over ; but no- 
where could he be found. 

" Not a mouse is stirring!" exclaimed Major 
Graham, beginning now to look exceedingly grave 
and anxious. " This is very strange ! The house- 
door is locked, therefore, unless Harry made his 
escape through the key-hole, he must be here! 
It is most unaccountable what the little pickle can 
have done with himself!" 

When Major Graham chose to exert his voice, 



50 THE TERRIBLE FIRE 

it was as loud as a trumpet, and could he heard 
half a mile off; so he now called out, like thunder, 
from the top of the stairs to the bottom, saying, 
" Hollo, Harry ! Hollo ! Come here, my boy ! 
Nobody shall hurt you ! Harry ! where are 
you ]" 

Uncle David waited to listen, but all was still — 
no answer could be heard, and there was not a 
sound in the house, except poor Laura at the bot- 
tom of the stairs, sobbing with grief and terror 
about Harry having been lost, and Mrs Crabtree 
grumbling angrily to herself, on account of the 
large hole in her best gown. 

By this time Lady Harriet nearly fainted with 
fatigue, for she was so very old, and had been ill all 
day ; so she grew worse and worse, till everybody 
said she muat go to bed, and try if it would be pos- 
sible to fall asleep, assuring her that Harry must 
soon be found, as nothing particular could have 
happened to him, or some person would have seen 
it. 

" Indeed, my lady ! Master Harry is just like a 
had shilling, that is sure to come back," said Mrs 
Crabtree, helping her to undress, while she conti- 
nued to talk the whole time about the fire, shewing 
her own unfortunate gown, describing the trouble 
she had taken to sate the house from being burned, 
and always ending every sentence with a wish that 



THE TERKIBLK FIUE. 51 

slie could lay hands on Harrj, to punish him as he 
deserved. 

" The truth is, I just spoil and indulge the chil- 
dren too much, my lady !" added Mrs Crahtree, in 
a self-satisfied tone of voice. " I really blame my- 
self often for being over-easy and kind." 

" You have nothing to accuse yourself of in that 
respect," answered Lady Harriet, unable to help 
smiling. 

" Your ladyship is very good to say so. Major 
Graham is so fond of our young people, that it is 
lucky they have some one to keep them in order. 
I shall make a duty, my lady, of being more strict 
than ever. Master Harry must be made an ex- 
ample of this time !" added Mrs Crabtree, angrily 
glancing at the hole in her gown. " I shall teach 
him to remember this day the longest hour he has 
to live ! " 

" Harry will not forget it any how," answered 
Lady Harriet, languidly. •' Perhaps, Mrs Crabtree, 
we might as well not be severe with the poor boy 
on this occasion. As the old proverb says, 'There 
is no use in pouring water on a drowned mouse.' 
Harry has got a sad fright for his pains ; and at all 
events you must find him first, before he can be 
punished. Where can the poor child be hid V 

" I would give sixpence to find out that, my 
lady!" answered Mrs Crabtree, helping LadyHar- 



52 THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 

rict into bed, after which she closed the shutter?, 
put out the candles, and left the room, angrily mui- 
t^ring, " Master Harry cares no more for mc than 
the poker cares for the tongs ; but I shall teach 
him another story soon." 

Lady Harriet now feebly closed her eyes, being 
quite exhausted, and was beginning to feel the 
pleasant, confused sensation that people have be- 
fore going to sleep, when some noise made her sud- 
denly start quite awake. She sat up in bed to lis- 
ten, but could not be sure whether it had been a 
great noise at a distance, or a little noise in the 
room ; so after waiting two or three minutes, she 
sunk back upon the pillows, and tried to forget it. 
Again, however, she distinctly heard something 
rustling in the bed-curtains, and opened her eyes 
to see what could be the matter, but all was dark. 
Something seemed to be breathing very near her, 
however, and the curtains shook worse than before, 
till Lady Harriet became really alarmed. 

" It must surely be a cat in the room ! " thought 
she, hastily pulling the bell-rope, till it nearly came 
down. '•' That tiresome little anizr.al will make such 
a noise, I shall not be able to sleep all night !" 

The next minute Lady Harriet was startled 
to hear a loud sob close besido her ; and when 
everybody rushed up stairs to ask what was the 
matter, they brought candles to search the room, 



THE TERRIBLE FIRE. 53 

and there was Harry ! lie lay doubled up in a 
corner, and crying as if his heart would break, 
yet still endeavouring not to be seen ; for Harry 
always thought it a terrible disgrace to cry, and 
would have concealed himself anywhere, rather 
than be observed weeping. Laura burst into tears 
also, when she saw what red eyes and pale cheeks 
Harry had ; but Mrs Crabtree lost no time in 
pulling him out of his place, being quite impa- 
tient to begin her scold, and to produce her tawr.e, 
though she received a sad disappointment on this 
occasion, as uncle David unexpectedly interfered 
to get him off. 

" Come now ! Mrs Crabtree, " said he, good- 
naturedly ; " put up the tawae for this time ; you 
are rather too fond of the leather. Harry seems 
really sorry and frightened, so we must be merci- 
ful. The cataract of tears he is shedding now, 
would have extinguished the fire if it had come in 
time ! Harry is like a culpi-it with the rope about 
his neck ; but ho shall not be executed. Let me 
be judge and jury in this case ; and my sentence 
is a very dreadful one. Harry must sleep all to- 
night in the burned nursery, having no other cover- 
ing than the burned blankets, with large holes in 
them, that he may never forget 

" THE TERRIBLE FIRE ' 



CHAPTER IV 



THE PKOJDIGIOUS (AKK. 



Yet theirs the joy 
That lifts their steps, that sparkles in tkeir eyes , 
That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays, 
And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways. 

CRABBE. 



Next day after the fire, Laura could think of 
nothing but what she was to do with the shilling 
that uncle David had given her ; and a thousand 
plans came into her head, while many wants en- 
tered her thoughts which never occurred before ; 
so that if twenty shillings had been in her hand 
instead of one, they would all have gone twenty 
different ways. 

Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid by 
till Laura had fully considered what she would 
like best; reminding her very truly, that money is 
lame in coming but flies in going away. ".Many 
people can get a shilling, Laura," said her grand- 
mama ; " but the difficulty is to keep it ; for you 
know the old proverb tells that A fool and his 
money are soon parted.' " 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 55 

" Yes, Miss ! so give it to me, and I shall take 
care of your shilling ! " added Mrs Crabtree, hold- 
ing out her hand to Laura, who felt that if hei 
money once disappeared into that capacious 
pocket, she would never see it again. " Children 
have no Use for money ! That shilling will only 
burn a hole in your purse, till it is spent on 
Borne foolish thins; or other. You will be losing 
your thimble soon, or mislaying your gloves ; for 
all these things seem to fly in every direction, as 
if they got legs and wings as soon as they belong 
to you ; so then that shilling may replace what is 
lost." 

Mrs Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up ; 
but Laura grasped her treasure still tighter in 
her hand, exclaiming, 

" No ! no ! this is mine ! Uncle David never 
thought of my shilling being taken care of ! lie 
meant me to do whatever I liked with it ! Uncle 
David says he cannot endure saving children, and 
that he wishes all money were turned into slates, 
when little girls keep it longer than a week." 

" I like that !" said Harry, eagerly ; " it is so 
pleasant to spend money, when the shopkeeper 
bows to me over the counter so politely, and 
asks what I please to want." 

" Older people than you like spending money, 
Master Harry, and spend whether they have it or 



56 THE PRODIGIOUS TAKE. 

no ; but the greatest pleasure is to keep it. For 
instance, Miss Laura, whatever she sees worth a 
shilling in any shop, might he hers if she pleases ; 
so then it is quite as good as her own. We shall 
look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon 
something that she would like to have, and then 
consider of it for two or three days." 

Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfac- 
tory, that she lost no time in getting her shilling 
changed into two sixpences, one of which she 
immediately presented to Harry, who positively 
refused for a long time to accept of it, insisting 
that Laura should rather buy some pretty play 
thing for herself; but she answered that it was 
much pleasanter to divide her fortune with Harry, 
than to be selfish, and spend it all alone. " I am 
sure, Harry," added she, " if this money had been 
yours, you would have said the same thing, and 
given the half of what you got to me ; so now 
let us say no more about that, but tell me what 
would be the best use to make of my sixpence V 

" You might buy that fine red morocco purse 
ve saw in the shop-window yesterday," observed 
Il.'vry, looking very serious and anxious, on be- 
ing consulted. " Do you remember how much 
we both wished to have it!" 

" But what is the use of a purse, with no money 
tu keep in it ?" answered Laura, looking rarnrsily 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 57 

at Harry for more advice. " Think again of some- 
thing else." 

•' Would you like a new doll?" 

" Yes ; but I have nothing to dress her with." 

" Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a 
red flower-pot at the gardener's !" 

" If it would only live for a week, I might be 
tempted to try ; but flowers will always die with 
me. They seem to wither when I so much as look 
at them. Do you remember that pretty fuchsia 
that I almost drowned the first day grandmama 
gave it me ; and we forgot for a week afterwards 
to water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor." 

" Then buy a gold watch at once," said Har- 
ry, laughing ; " or a fine pony, with a saddle, to 
ride on." 

" Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You 
know I might as well attempt to buy the moon 
as a gold watch ; so think of something else." 

" It is very difficult to make a good use of 
money," said Harry, pretending to look exceed- 
ingly wise. " Do you know, Laura, I once found 
out that you could have twelve of those large 
ship-biscuits we saw at the baker's shop for six- 
pence. Only think ! you could feed the whole 
town, and make a present to everybody in the 
house besides ! I daresay Mrs Crabtree might 
like one with her tea. All the maids would think 



58 THE PRODIGIOUS OAKB. 

them a treat. You could present one to Frank, 
another to old Andrew, and there would still he 
some left for these poor children at the cottage." 

" Oh ! that is the very thing !" cried Laura, 
running out of the room to send Andrew off with 
a basket, and looking as happy as possible. Xot 
long afterwards, Frank, who had returned from 
school, was standing at the nursery-window, when 
he suddenly called out with a voice of surprise 
and amusement, 

" Come here, Harry ! look at old Andrew ! he 
is carrying something tied up in a towel, as large 
as his own head ! what can it be 1" 

" That is all for me ! These are my biscuits !" 
said Laura, running off to receive the parcel, and 
though she heard Frank laughing, while Harry 
told all about them, she did not care, but brought 
her whole collection triumphantly into the nursery. 

" Oh, fancy ! how perfect !" cried Harry, open- 
ing the bundle; " this is very good fun !" 

" Here are provisions for a siege !"addedFrank. 
" You have at least got enough for your money, 
Laura !" 

" Take one yourself, Frank !" said she reach- 
ing him the largest, and then with the rest all tied 
in her apron, Laura proceeded up and down stairs, 
making presents to every person she met, till her 
whole store was finished ; and she felt quite satis- 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 59 

fled and happy because everybody seemed pleased 
and returned many thanks, except Mrs Crabtrce, 
who said she had no teeth to eat such hard things, 
which were only fit for sailors going to America 
or the West Indies. 

" You should have bought me a pound of sugar, 
Miss Laura, and that might have been a present 
worth giving." 

" You are too sweet already, Mrs Crabtree !" 
said Frank, laughing. " I shall send you a sugar- 
cane from the West Indies, to beat Harry and 
Laura with, and a whole barrel of sugar for your 
self from my own estate." 

" None of your nonsense, Master Frank ! Get 
out of the nursery this moment ! You with an 
estate, indeed ! You will not have a place to put 
your foot upon soon except the top-mast in a 
man-of-war, where all the bad boys in a ship are 
sent." 

" Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, 
I may escape, and be dining with the officers, 
sometimes ! I mean to send you home a fine new 
India shawl, Mrs Crabtree, the very moment I 
arrive at Madras, and some china tea-cups from 
Canton." 

" Fiddlesticks and nonsense !" said Mrs Crab- 
tree, who sometimes enjoyed a little jesting with 
Frank. " Keep all them '"attle-traps till you are 



GO THE riiODIGIOUS CAKE 

a rich nabob, and come home to look for Mra 
Frank, — a fine wife she will be ! Ladies that 
get fortunes from India are covered all over with 
gold chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. 
.'Siic will eat nothing but curry and rice, and never 
put her foot to the ground, except to step into 
her carriage." 

" I hope you are not a gipsy, to tell fortunes !" 
cried Harry, laughing. " Frank would die rathtr 
than take such a wife." 

" Or, at least I would rather have a tooth 
drawn than do it," added Frank, smiling. "Per- 
haps I may prefer to marry one of those old 
wives on the chimney-tops ; but it is too serious 
to say I would rather die, because nobody knows 
how awful it is to die, till the appointed day 
comes." 

" Very true and proper, Master Frank," re- 
plied Mrs Crabtree ; " you speak like a printed 
book sometimes, and you deserve a good wife." 

" Then I shall return home some day with 
chests of gold, and let you choose one for me, 
as quiet and good-natured as yourself, Mrs Crab- 
tree," said Frank, taking up his books and has- 
tening off to school, running all the way, as he 
was rather late, and Mr Lexicon, the master, had 
promised a grand prize for the boy who caino 
most punctually to his lessons, which everybody 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 61 

declared that Frank was sure to gain, as he had 
never once been absent at the ric^ht moment. 

Major Graham often tried to tease Frank, oy 
calling him " the Professor," — asking him ques- 
tions which it was impossible to answer, and then 
pretending to be quite shocked at his ignorance ; 
but no one ever saw the young scholar put out 
of temper by those tricks and trials, for he al- 
ways laughed more heartily than any one else at 
the joke. 

" Now shew me, Frank," said uncle David, one 
morning, " how do you advance three steps back- 
wards ?" 

" That is quite impossible, unless you turn me 
into a crab." 

" Tell me, then, which is the principal town in 
Caffraria?" 

" Is there any town there ? I do not recol- 
lect it." 

" Then so much the worse ! — how are you ever 
to get through life without knowing the chief 
town in Caffraria ! I am quite ashamed of your 
ignorance. Now, let us try a little arithmetic ! 
Open the door of your understanding and tell me, 
when wheat i3 six shillings a bushel, what is the 
price of a penny loaf 1 Take your slate and cal- 
culate that." 

" Yes, uncle David, if you will find out wben 



62 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 

gooseberries are two shillings a pint, what is the 
price of a three-penny tart. You remind me of my 
old nursery song— 

' The man in the wilderness asked me, 
How many strawberries grew in the sea ? 
I answered him, as I thought it good, 
As many red herrings as grew in the wood.' " 

Some days after Laura had distributed the bis- 
cuits, she became very sorry for having squandered 
her shilling, without attending to Lady Harriet's 
good advice, about keeping it carefully in her 
pocket for at least a week, to see what would hap - 
pen. A very pleasant way of using money now 
fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spend- 
thrift, so her pockets were empty when she most 
wished them to be full. Harry came that morning 
after breakfast into the nursery, looking in a great 
bustle, and whispering to Laura, " What a pity 
your sixpence is gone! but as Mrs Crabtreesays, 
' We cannot both eat our cake and have it ! ' " 

" No ! " answered Laura, as seriously as if she 
had never thought of this before ; " but why do 
you so particularly wish my money back to-day ?" 

" Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be 
done this morning. You and I are asked to join 
the party, but I am afraid Ave cannot afford it ! 
All our little cousins and companions intend going 



•THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 63 

with Mr Harwood, the tutor, at twelve o'clock, to 
climb up to the very top of Arthur Seat, where 
they are to dine and have a dance. There will be 
about twenty boys and girls of the party, but every- 
body is to carry a basket filled with provisions for 
dinner, either cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are 
to be eat on the great rock at the top of the hill. 
Now grandmama says we ought to have had money 
enough to supply what is necessary, and then we 
might have gone ; but no one can be admitted who 
nas not at least sixpence to buy something." 

" Oh ! how provoking !'' said Laura, sadly. " I 
wonder when we shall learn always to follow grand- 
mama's advice, for that is sure to turn out best in 
the end. I never take my own way without being 
sorry for it afterwards, so I deserve now to be dis- 
appointed and remain at home ; but, Harry, your 
sixpence is still safe; so pray join this delightful 
party, and tell me all about it afterwards." 

" If it could take us both, I should be very 
happy ; but I will not go without you, Laura, after 
you were so good to me, and gave me this in a 
present. No, no! I only wish we could do like the 
poor madman grandmama mentioned, who planted 
sixpences in the ground that they might grow into 
shillings." 

" Pray, what are you two looking so solemn 
about 1 " asked Frank, hurrying into the room at 



64 THE rilODIGIOUS CAKE. 

that moment, on his way to school. " Arc you 
talking; of some mischief that has heen done al- 
ready, or only about some mischief you are in- 
tending to do soon 1" 

" Neither the one nor the other," answered 
Laura. " But oh ! Frank, I am sure you wiii be 
sorry for us, when we tell you of our sad disap- 
pointment." 

She then related the whole story of the party to 
Arthur Seat, mentioning that Mr Harwood had 
kindly offered to take charge of Harry and herself, 
butas her little fortune had been so foolishly squan- 
dered, she could not go, and Harry said it would 
be impossible to enjoy the fun without her, though 
Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be of 
the party. 

All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood 
with his hands in his pockets, where he seemed 
evidently searching for something, and when the 
whole history was told, he said to Harry, " Let 
me see this poor little sixpence of yours ! I am 
a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps turn it 
into a shilling !" 

" Nonsense, Frank !" said Laura, laughing ; 
" you might as well turn Harry into uncle Pavid !" 

" Well ! we shall see !" answered Frank, taking 
up the sixpence. " I have put the money into 
this box !— rattle it well '.—once ! twice ! thrice!— 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE, 65 

there, peep in ! — now it is a shilling ! I told you 
so?" 

Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much 
amused with the joke, for he had put one of his 
own shillings into the box for Harry and Laura, 
who were excessively surprised at first, and felt 
really ashamed to take this very kind present from 
Frank, when he so seldom had money of his own , 
but they knew Iioav generous he was, for he often 
repeated that excellent maxim, "It is more blessed 
to give than to receive." 

After a few minutes, they remembered that no- 
thing could prevent them now from going with Mr 
Harwood to Arthur Seat, which put Laura into 
such a state of ecstacy, that she danced round the 
room for joy, while Harry jumped upon the tables 
and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and called 
Betty to come immediately, that they might get 
ready. 

When Mrs Crabtree heard such an uproar, she 
hastened also into the room, asking what had hap- 
pened to cause this riot, and she became very 
angry indeed, to hear that Harry and Laura had 
both got leave to join in this grand expedition. 

" You will be spoiling all your clothes, and get- 
ting yourselves into a heat ! I wonder her lady- 
ship allows this ! How much better you would 
be taking a quiet walk with mo in the <;'arden.s ! I 



66 HIE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 

shall really speak to Lady Harriet about it ! Tlie 
air must be very cold on the top of them great 
mountains ! I am sure you will both have colda 
for a month after this tomfoolery." 

" Oh no, Mrs Crabtree ! I promise not to catch 
cold !" cried Harry, eagerly ; " and, besides, you 
can scarcely prevent our going now, for grand- 
mama lias set out on her long airing in the car- 
riage, so there is nobody for you to ask about 
keeping us at home except uncle David." 

Mrs Crabtree knew from experience, that Ma- 
jor Graham was a hopeless case, as he always took 
part with the children, and liked nothing so much 
for old and young as " a ploy ;" so she grumbled 
on to herself, Avhile her eyes looked as sharp as 
a pair of scissors, with rage. " You will come 
back turned into scarecrows, with all your nice, 
clean clothes in tatters," said she, angrily ; " but 
if there is so much as a speck upon this best 
new jacket and trousers, I shall know the reason 
why." 

" What a comfort it would be, if there were no 
such things in the world as ' new clothes,' for I 
am always so much happier in the old ones," said 
Harry. " People at the shops should sell clothes 
that will never either dirty or tear." 

" You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robin- 
son Crusoe; ©r sent out leaked, like the little 



TIIE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 65" 

savages," said Mrs Crabtree ; " or painted black 
and blue like them wild old Britons that lived here 
long ago !" 

" I am black and blue sometimes, without be- 
ing painted," said Harry, escaping to the door. 
" Goodbye, Mrs Crabtree ! I hope you will not 
die of weariness without us ! On our return we 
shall tell you all our delightful adventures." 

About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura 
were seen hurrying out of Mrs Weddel's pastry- 
shop, bearing little covered baskets in their hands, 
but nobody could guess what was in them. They 
whispered and laughed together with merry faces, 
looking the very pictures of happiness, and running 
along as fast as they could to join the noisy party 
of their cousins and companions, almost fearing 
that Mr Harwood might have set off without them. 
Frank often called him " Mr Punctuality," as he 
was so very particular about his scholars being 
in good time on all occasions ; and certainly Mr 
Harwood carried his watch more in his hand than 
in his pocket, being in the habit of constantly 
looking to see that nobody arrived too late. Mail- 
coaches or steam-boats could hardly keep the time 
better, when an hour had once been named ; and 
the last Avords that Harry heard when he was in- 
vited were, " Remember ! sharp twelve." 

The great clock of St Andrew's Church was 



68 THE PHOD1GI0US cake. 

bufv striking that hour, and every little clock in 
the town was saying the same thing, when Mr 
Harwood himself, with, his watch in his hand, 
opened the door, and walked out, followed hy a 
dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking 
at once, and vociferating louder than the clocks, 
as if they thought everybody had grown deaf. 

" I shall reach the top of Arthur Seat first," 
said Peter Grey. " All follow me, for I know the 
shortest way. It is only a hop, step, and a jump !" 

" Rather a long step !" cried Robert Fordyce. 
" But I could lead you a much better way, though 
I shall shew it to nobody but myself." 

" Wc must certainly drink water at St Anthony's 
Well," observed Laura ; " because whatever any 
one wishes for when he tastes it, is sure to hap- 
pen immediately." 

" Then I shall wish that some person may give 
me a new doll," said Mary Forrester. " My old 
one is only fit for being lady's maid to a fine new 
doll." 

" I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for," 
exclaimed Harry; "we must take care not to be 
like the foolish old woman in the fairy tale, who 
got only a yard of black pudding." 

' ; I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a 
saddle, and a bridle!" cried Peter Grey; "and 
for a Avcelrs holidays, — and a new wateli,--ain! a 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKK. 69 

spado, — and a box of French plums, — and to bo 
first at the top of Arthur Seat, — and — and — " 

" Stop, Peter ! stop ! you can only have one 
wish at St Anthony's Well," interrupted Mr Har- 
wood. " If you ask more, you lose all." 

" That is very hard ; for I want everything," 
replied Peter. " What are you wishing for, Sir ? " 

" What shall I ask for 1 " said Mr Harwood, re- 
flecting to himself. " I have not a want in the 
world!" 

" yes, Sir ! you must wish for something !'' 
cried the whole party, eagerly. " Do invent some- 
thing to ask, Mr Harwood !" 

" Then I wish you may all behave well till we 
reach the top of Arthur Seat, and all come safely 
down again." 

" You may be sure of that already !" said 
Peter, laughing. " I set such a very good ex- 
ample to all my companions, that they never be- 
have ill when I am present, — no ! not even by ac- 
cident ! When Dr Algebra examined our class 
to-day, he asked Mr Lexicon, ' What has become 
of the best boy in your school this morning \ ' and 
the answer was, ' Of course you mean Peter Grey ! 
He is gone to the top of Arthur Seat with that 
excellent man, Mr Harwood !' " 

" Indeed ! — and pray, Master Peter, what bird 
whiopered this story into your ear, seeing it has 



70 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 

all happened since we left home ? — but people who 
are praised by nobody else, often take to praising 
themselves ! " 

"Who knows better 1— and here is Harry Graham, 
the very ditto of myself, — so steady he might be 
fit to drill a whole regiment. We shall lead the 
party quite safely up the hill, and down again, 
without any ladders." 

"And without wings," added Harry, laughing ; 
,! but what are we to draw water out of the well 
with ? — here are neither buckets, nor tumblers, 
nor glasses !" 

" I could lend you my thimble !" said Laura, 
searching her pocket. " That will hold enough 
of water for one wish, and every person may have 
the loan of it in turn." 

" This is the very first time your thimble has 
been of use to anybody!" said Harry, slyly ; " but 
I daresay it is not worn into holes with too much 
sewing, therefore it will make a famous little ma- 
gical cup for St Anthony's Well. You know the 
fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay their 
table-cloth upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to 
be merry, but I never heard what they use for a 
drinking-cup." 

Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, 
singing, as he went, a song which had been taught 
him by uncle David, beginning, 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 71 

I wish I were a brewer's horse, 

Five quarters of a year, 
I'd place ray head where was my tail, 

And drink up all the beer. 

Before long the whole party seated themselves 
in a circle on the grass round St Anthony's Well, 
while any stranger who chanced to pass might 
have supposed, from the noise and merriment, 
that the saint had filled his well with champagne 
and punch for the occasion, as everybody seemed 
perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr Harwood 
laughed prodigiously at some of the jokes, and 
made a few of his own, which were none of the 
best, though they caused the most laughter, for 
the boys thought it very surprising that so grave 
and great a man should make a joke at all. 

When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of 
water, and wished for a new doll, Peter and Harry 
privately cut out a face upon a red-cheeked apple, 
making the eyes, nose, and mouth, after which, 
they hastily dressed it up in pocket handkerchiefs, 
and gave her this present from the fairies, which 
looked so very like what she had asked for that 
the laugh which followed was loud and long. Af- 
terwards Peter swallowed his draught, calling 
loudly for a piebald pony, when Harry, in his 
white trousers and dark jacket, went upon all- 
fours, and let Peter mount on his back. It was 



72 THE PRODIGIOUS CARE. 

very difficult, however, to get Peter olf again, for 
he enjoyed the fun excessively, and stuck to his 
seat like Sinbad's old man of the sea, till at last 
Harry rolled on his back, tumbling Peter head 
over heels into St Anthony's Well, upon seeing 
which, Mr Harwood rose, saying, he had certain- 
ly lost his own wish, as they had behaved ill, and 
met with an accident already. Harry laughingly 
proposed that Peter should be carefully hung up- 
on a tree to dry, till they all came down again ; 
but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was 
almost out of sight in a moment, saying, " Xow 
for the top of Arthur Scat, and I shall grow dry 
with the fatigue of climbing." 

The boys and girls immediately scattered them- 
selves all over the hill, getting on the best way 
they could, and trying who could scramble up 
fastest, but the grass was quite short, and as slip- 
pery as ice, therefore it became every moment 
more difficult to stand, and still more difficult to 
climb. The whole party began sliding whether 
they liked it or not, and staggered and tried to 
grasp the turf, but there was nothing to hold, 
while occasionally a shower of stones and gravel 
came down from Peter, who pretended they fell 
dv accident. 

" Oh, Harry !" cried Laura, panting for breath, 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 73 

while she looked both frightened and fatigued, 
" if this were not a party of pleasure, I think wo 
are sometimes quite as happy in our own gar- 
dens ! People must be very miserable at home, 
before they come here to be amused ! I wish wo 
were cats, or goats, or anything that can stand 
upon a hill without feeling giddy." 

" I thiiik this is yery good fun !" answered 
Harry, gasping, and trying not to tumble for the 
twentieth time ; " you would like, perhaps, to be 
back in the nursery with Mrs Crabtree." 

" No ! no ! I am not quite so bad as that ! But 
Harry ! do you ever really expect to reach the 
top 1 for I never shall ; so I mean to sit down 
quietly here, and wait till you all return." 

" I have a better plan than that, Laura ! You 
shall sit upon the highest point of Arthur Seat 
as well as anybody, before either of us is an hour 
older ! Let me go first, because I get on famous- 
ly, and you must never look behind, but keep 
tight hold of my jacket, so then every step I ad- 
vance will pull you up also." 

Laura was delighted with this plan, which suc- 
ceeded perfectly well, but they ascended rather 
slowly, as it was exceedingly fatiguing to Harry, 
who looked quite happy all the time to be of use ; 
for he always felt glad when he could do anything 
for anybody, more particularly for either Laura or 



74 THE PIIODIGIOUS CAKE. 

Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely 
assembled on the very highest point of Arthur 
Seat, so the boys threw their caps up in the air, 
and gave three tremendous cheers, which fright- 
ened the very crows over their heads, and sent a 
flock of sheep scampering down the mountain side. 
After that, they planted Mr Harwood's walking- 
stick in the ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off 
the blue silk handkerchief which Mrs Crabtree had 
tied about his neck, and without caring whether he 
caught cold or not, he fastened it on the pole for 
a flag, being quite delighted to see how it waved 
in the wind most triumphantly, looking very like 
what sailors put up when they take possession of 
a desert island. 

"Now, for business!" said Mr Harwood, sitting 
down on the rock, and uncovering a prodigious 
cake, nearly as large as a cheese, which he had 
taken the trouble to carry, with great difficulty, up 
the hill. " I suppose nobody is hungry after our 
long walk ! Let us see what all the baskets con- 
tain!" 

Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on 
the grass, while the stores were displayed, amidst 
shouts of laughter and applause which generally 
followed whatever came forth. Sandwiches, or, as 
Peter Grey called them, " savages," gingerbread, 
cakes, and fruit, all appeared in turn. Robert For- 



THE PRODIGIOUS GARB. 

dyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, ail dyed 
difterent colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but 
not one was white. Edmund Ashford produced a 
collection of very sour-looking apples, and Charles 
Forrester shewed a number of little gooseberry 
tarts ; but when it became time for Peter's basket 
to be opened, it contained nothing except a knife 
and a fork to cut up whatever his companions would 
give him ! 

" Peter ! Peter ! you shabby fellow ! " said Charles 
Forrester, reaching him one of his tarts, " you 
should be put in the tread-mill as a sturdy beg- 
gar !" 

" Or thrown down from the top of this preci- 
pice," added Harry, giving him a cake. " I wonder 
you can look any of us in the face, Peter ! " 

" I have heard," said Mr Harwood, " that a 
stone is shewn in Ireland, called ' the stone of 
Blarney,' and whoever kisses it, is never afterwards 
ashamed of anything he does. Our friend Peter 
has probably passed that way lately !" 

" At any rate, I am not likely to be starved to 
death amongst you all!" answered the impudent 
boy, demolishing every thing he could get ; and it 
is believed that Peter ate, on this memorable oc- 
casion, three times more than any other person, as 
each of the party offered him something, and he 
never was heard to say, " No \ " 



76 THE TRODIGIOUS CAKE. 

" I could swallow Arthur Seat, if it were turned 
into a plum-pudding," eaid he, pocketing buns, 
apples, eggs, walnuts, biscuits, and almonds, till 
his coat stuck out all round like a balloon. " Has 
any one anything more to spare \ " 

" Did you ever hear," said Mr Harwood, " that 
a pigeon eats its own weight of food every day ? 
Now, I am sure, you and I know one boy in the 
vorld, Peter, who could do as much." 

" What is to be done with that prodigious cake 
you carried up here, Mr Harwood \ " answered 
Peter, casting a devouring eye upon it; "the crust 
seems as hard as a rhinoceros' skin, but I daresay 
it is very good. One could not be sure, however, 
without tasting it ! I hope you are not going to 
take the trouble of carrying that heavy load back 
again 1 '' 

" How very polite you are become all on a sud- 
den, Peter !" said Laura, laughing. " I should be 
very sorry to attempt carrying that cake to the 
bottom of the hill, for Ave would both roll down 
the shortest way together." 

" I am not over-anxious to try it either, " ob- 
served Charles Forrester, shaking his head. — 
" Even Peter, though his mouth is constantly ajar, 
would find that cake rather heavy to carry, either 
as an inside or an outside passenger." 

" I can scarcely lift it at all ! " continued Laura, 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 77 

when Mr Harwood bad again tied it up in the 
towel ; " What can be done I " 

" Here is the very best plan !" cried Harry, sud- 
denly seizing the prodigious cake ; and before any 
body could binder him, he gave it a tremendous 
push off the steepest part of Arthur Seat, so that 
it rolled down like a wheel, over stones and pre- 
cipices, jumping and hopping along with wonder- 
ful rapidity, amidst the cheers and laughter of all 
the children, till at last it reached the bottom of 
the bill, when a general clapping of hands ensued. 

" Now for a race ! " cried Harry, becoming more 
and more eager. " The first boy or girl who 
reaches that cake shall have it all to himself!" 

Mr Harwood tried with all his might to stop 
the commotion, and called out that they must go 
quietly down the bank, for Harry had no right 
to give away the cake, or to make them break 
their legs and arms with racing down such a 
hill. But he might as well have spoken to the 
east wind, and asked it not to blow. The whole 
party dispersed, like a hive of bees that has been 
upset ; and in a moment they were in full career 
after the cake. 

Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to 
get on more quickly. Others endeavoured to slide, 
and several attempted to run, but they all fell ; 
and many of them might have been tumblers at 



78 THE PRODIGIOUS CAKli. 

Sadler's Wells, they tumbled over and over so 
cleverly. Peter Grey's hat was blown away, but 
he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost 
his shoe. Robert Fordyce sprained his ankle, and 
every one of the girls tore her frock. It was a 
frightful scene ; such devastation of bonnets and 
jackets as had never been known before ; while Mr 
Harwood looked like the general of a defeated 
army, calling till he became hoarse, and running 
till he was out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop 
the confusion, and to bring the stragglers back in 
better order. 

Meantime Harry and Peter were far before the 
rest, though Edward Ashford was following hard 
after them in desperate haste, as if he still hoped 
to overtake their steps. Suddenly, however, a 
loud cry of distress was heard overhead ; and when 
Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a sight, 
that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost 
screamed out himself with the fright it gave him, 
while he seemed to forget in a moment, the race, 
Peter Grey, and the prodigious cake. 

Laura had been very anxious not to trouble 
Harry with taking care of her in coming down the 
bank again ; for she saw that during all this fun 
about the cake, he perfectly forgot that she wae 
not accustomed every day to such a scramble on 
the hills, and would have required some help. 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 79 

After looking down on every side of the descent, 
and thinking that each appeared steeper than an- 
other, while they all made her equally giddy, Laura 
determined to venture on a part of the hill which 
seemed rather less precipitous than the rest ; but 
it completely cheated her, being the most difficult 
and dangerous part of Arthur Seat. The slope 
became steeper and steeper at every step ; but 
Laura always tried to hope her path might grow 
better, till at last she reached a place where it was 
impossible to stop herself. Down she went ! down ! 
down ! whether she or would not, screaming and 
sliding on a long slippery bank, till she reached 
the very edge of a dangerous precipice, which ap- 
peared higher than the side of a room. Laura then 
grappled hold of some stones and grass, calling 
loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep from 
falling into the deep ravine, which would probably 
have killed her. Her screams were echoed all 
over the hill, when Harry, seeing her frightful situ- 
ation, clambered up the bank faster than any 
lamplighter, and immediately flew to Laura's as- 
sistance, who was now really hanging over the 
chasm, quite unable to help herself. At last he 
reached the place where poor Laura lay, and seized 
hold of her by the frock ; but for some time it 
seemed an equal chance whether she dragged him 
into the hole, or he pulled her away from it. 



80 TIIF> P.UOPIGIOUS CAKE. 

Luckily, however, by a groat effort, Harry suc- 
ceeded in delivering Laura, whom he placed upon 
a secure situation, and then, having waited pa» 
tiently till she recovered from the fright, he led 
her carefully and kindly down to the bottom of 
Arthur Seat. 

Now, d.ll the boys had already got there, and a 
violent dispute was going on about which of them 
first reached the cake. Peter Grey had pushed 
down Edward Ashford, who caught hold of Ro- 
bert Fordyce, and they all three rolled to the bot- 
tom together, so that nobody could tell which 
had won the race ; while Mr Harwood laboured 
in vain to convince them that the cake belonged 
neither to the one nor the other, being his own 
property. 

They all laughed at Harry for being distanced, 
and arriving last ; while Mr Harwood watched 
him coming down, and was pleased to observe 
how carefully he attended to Laura, though, still 
being annoyed at the riot and confusion which 
Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear 
exceedingly angry, and put on a very terrible 
voice, saying, 

" Hollo ! young gentleman ! what shall I do to 
you for beginning this uproar ? As the old pro- 
verb sayB, ' One fool makes many.' How dare 
you roll my fine cake down the hill in this way, 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 81 

and send everybody rolling after it \ Look me in 
the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself!" 

Harry looked at Mr Harwood — and Mr Har- 
wood looked at Harry. They both tried to seem 
very grave and serious, but somehow Harry's 
eyes glittered very brightly, and two little dim- 
ples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr Harwood 
had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, 
but still his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his 
mouth seemed to be pursed up in a most comical 
manner. After staring at each other for several 
minutes, both Mr Harwood and Harry burst into 
a prodigious fit of laughing, and nobody could 
tell which began first or laughed longest. 

" Master Graham! you must send a new frock to 
every little girl of the party, and a suit of clothes 
to each of the boys, for having caused theirs to 
be all destroyed. I really meant to punish you 
severely for beginning such a riot, but something 
has made me change my mind. In almost every 
moment of our lives, we either act amiably or un- 
amiably ; and I observed you treat Miss Laura so 
kindly and properly all this morning, that I shall 
Bay not another word about 



THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE. 1 ' 



CHAPTER V 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 



" For," said she, in spite of what grandmama taught her. 
*' I'm really remarkably fond of the water." 
* * * * 

She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself round. 
And heartily wished herself safe on the ground. 



Once upon a time Harry and Laura had got into 
so many scrapes, that there seemed really no end 
to their misconduct. They generally forgot to 
learn any lessons — often tore their books — drew 
pictures on their slates, instead of calculating sums 
— and made the pages of their copy-books into 
boats ; besides •which, Mrs Crabtree caught them 
one day, when a party of officers dined at Lady 
Harriet's, with two of the captains' sword-belts 
buckled round their waists, and cocked bats upon 
their heads, while they beat the crown of a gen- 
tleman's hat with a walking-stick, to sound like 
a d Mm. 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 83 

Still it seemed impossible to make uncle David 
feel sufficiently angry with them, though Mrs Crab- 
tree did all she could to put him in a passion, by 
telling the very worst ; but he made fifty excuses 
a-minute, as if he had been the naughty person 
himself, instead of Harry or Laura ; and, above 
all, he said that they both seemed so exceedingly 
penitent when he explained their delinquencies, 
and they were both so ready to tell upon themselves, 
and to take all the blame of whatever mischief 
might be done, that he was determined to shut his 
eyes and May nothing, unless they did something 
purposely wrong. 

One night, when Mrs Crabtree had gone out, 
Major Graham felt quite surprised on his return 
home from a late dinner-party, to find Laura and 
Harry still out of bed. They were sitting in his 
library when he entered, both looking so tired and 
miserable that he could not imagine what had hap- 
pened ; but Harry lost no time in confessing that 
he and Laura feared that they had done some 
dreadful mischief, so they could not sleep without 
asking pardon, and mentioning whose fault it was, 
that the maids might not be unjustly blamed. 

" Well, you little imps of mischief ! what have 
I to scold you for nowT' asked uncle David, not 
looking particularly angry. " Is it something that 
I shall be obliged to take the trouble of punishing 



84 THE LA«T CLKAN FROCK. 

you for 1 We ought to live in the Highlands, 
■where there are whole forests of birch ready for 
use ! Why are your ears like a bell-rope, Harry 1 
because they seem made to be pulled. Now, go 
on with your story. What is the matter ?" 

" We were playing about the room, uncle David, 
and Laura lost her ball, so she crept under that 
big table, which has only one large leg. There is 
a brass button below, so we were trying if it would 
come off, when all on a. sudden, the table fell quite 
to one side, as you see it now, tumbling down those 
prodigious books and tin boxes on the floor ! I 
cannot think how this fine, new table could be so 
easily broken ; but whenever we even look at any- 
thing it seems to break ! " 

" Yes, Harry ! you remind me of Meddlesome 
Matty, in the nursery rhymes, 

' Sometimes she'd lift the teapot lid, 
To peep at what was in it, 
Or tilt the kettle, if you did 
But turn your back a minute. 
In vain you told her not to touch, 
Her trick of meddling grew so much.' 

You have scarcely left my poor table a leg to stand 
upon. How am I ever to get it mended ? " 
" Perhaps the carpenter could do it to-morrow ! " 
" Or, perhaps uncle David could do it this mo- 
ment," said Major Graham, raising the fallen side 



TUE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 85 

with a sudden jerk, when Harry and Laura heard a 
click under the table like the locking of a door, 
after which the whole affair was rectified. 

"Did I ever — !" exclaimed Harry, staring with 
astonishment. " So we have suffered all our fright 
for nothing, and the table was not really broken ! 
I shall always run to you, uncle David, when we 
are in a scraps, for you are sure to get us off." 

' : Do not reckon too certainly on that, Master 
Harry ; it is easier to get into one than to get out 
of it, any day ; but I am not so seriously angry at 
the sort of scrapes Laura and you get into, be- 
cause you would not willingly and deliberately do 
wrong. If any children commit a mean action, or 
get into a passion, or quarrel with each other, or 
omit saying their prayers and reading their Bibles, 
or tell a lie, or take what does not belong to them, 
then it might be seen how extremely angry I could 
be ; but while you continue merely thoughtless and 
forgetful, I mean to have patience a little longer, 
before turning into a cross old uncle, with a pair 
of tawse." 

Harry sprung upon uncle David's knee, quite 
delighted to hear him speak so very kindly, and 
Laura was soon installed in her usual place there 
also, listening to all that was said, and laughing 
at his jokes. 

" As Mrs Crabtrcc says," continued Major 



66 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

Graham, " ' we cannot put an old head on younsj 
shoulders ;' and it would certainly look very odd if 
you could." 

So uncle David took out his pencil, and drew a 
funny picture of a cross, old, wrinkled face upon 
young shoulders like Laura's ; and after they had 
all laughed at it together for ahout five minutes, 
he sent the children hoth to bed, quite merry and 
cheerful. 

A long time elapsed afterwards without anything 
going wrong ; and it was quite pleasant to see such 
learning of lessons, such attention to rules, and 
such obedience to Mrs Crabtree, as went on in the 
nursery during several weeks. At last, one day, 
when Lady Harriet and Major Graham were pre- 
paring to set off on a journey, and to pay a short 
visit at Holiday House, Laura and Harry observed 
a great deal of whispering and talking in a corner 
of the room, but they could not exactly discover 
what it was all about, till Major Graham said, very 
earnestly, " I think we might surely take Laura 
with us." 

" Yes," answered Lady Harriet, " both the chil- 
dren have been invited, and are behaving wonder- 
fully well of late, but Lord Rockville has such a 
dislike to noise, that I dare not venture to take 
more than one at a time. Poor Laura has a very 
severe couprli, so she maybe recovered bv change 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 87 

of air. As for Harry, he is quite well, and there- 
fore he can stay at home." 

Now, Harry thought it very hard that he was 
to he left at home, merely because he felt quite 
well, so he immediately wished to be very ill in- 
deed, that he might Litre BOniv cnance of going to 
Holiday House ; but then he did not exactly know 
how to set about it. At all events, Harry deter- 
mined to catch a cold like Laura's, without delay. 
He would not for the whole world have pretended 
to suffer from a cough if he really had none, be- 
cause uncle David had often explained that mak- 
ing any one believe an untruth was the same as 
telling a lie ; but he thought that there might be 
no harm in really getting such a terrible cold, that 
nothing could possibly cure it except change of 
air, and a trip to Holiday House with Laura. Ac- 
cordingly Harry tried to remember everything that 
Mrs Crabtree had forbid him to do " for fear of 
catchin g cold." He sprinkledwater over his shirt- 
collar in the morning before dressing, that it might 
be damp ; he ran violently up and down stairs to 
put himself in a heat, after which he sat between 
the open window and door till he felt perfect- 
ly chilled ; and when going to bed at night, he 
washed his hair in cold water, without drying it. 
Still, all was in vain ! Harry had formerly caught 
cold a hundred times when he did not want one 



88 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

but now, such a thing "was not to be had for lore 
or money. Nothing seemed to give him the very 
slightest attempt at a cough ; and when the day at 
last arrived for Lady Harriet to begin her journey, 
Harry still felt himself most provokingly well. 
Not so much as a finger ached, his cheeks were as 
blooming as roses, his voice as clear as a bell ; 
and when uncle David accidentally said to him in 
the morning, " How do you do ?" Harry was ob- 
liged, very much against his will, to answer, " Quite 
well, I thank you ! " 

In the mean time, Laura would have felt too 
happy if Harry could only have gone with her ; 
and even as it was, being impatient for the happy 
day to arrive, she hurried to bed an hour earlier 
than usual the night before, to make the time of set- 
ting out appear nearer ; and she could scarcely sleep 
or eat, for thinking of Holiday House, and planning 
all that was to be done there. 

" It is pleasant to see so joyous a face," said 
Major Graham. " I almost envy you, Laura, for 
being so happy," 

" Oh ! I quite envy myself! but I shall write a 
long letter every day to poor Harry, telling him 
all the news, and all my adventures." 

"Nonsi'iise! Mi;^s Laura! wait till you como 
home," said Mrs CraMrec. " Y\'ho do you think J.? 
going to pay postage for so many foolish letters i " 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 8,9 

" I shall !" answered Harry. " I have got six- 
pence, and twopence, and a halfpenny ; so I shall 
buy every one of Laura's letters from the postman, 
and write her an answer immediately afterwards. 
She will like to hear, Mrs Crabtrce, how very kind 
you are going to be, when I am left by myself here. 
Perhaps you will play at nine-pins with me, and 
Laura can lend you her skipping rope." 

" You might as well offer uncle David a hob- 
by-horse," said Frank, laughing, and throwing his 
satchel over his shoulders. " No, Harry ! you 
shall belong to me now. Grandmama says you 
may go every day to my play-ground, where all the 
school-boys assemble, and you can have plenty of 
fun till Laura comes back. We shall jump over 
the moon, every morning, for joy." 

Harry brightened up amazingly, thinking he had 
never heard of such good news before, as it was 
a grand piece of promotion to play with, really big 
school-boys ; so he became quite reconciled to 
Laura's going away for a short time without him ; 
and when the hour came for taking leave, instead 
of tears being shed on either side, it would have 
been difficult to say, as they kissed each othei", 
and said a joyous goodbye, which face looked the 
most delighted. 

All Laura's clothes had been packed the night 
before, in a large chaise-seat, which was now put 



90 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

into the carriage along with herself, and every- 
thing seemed ready for departure, when Lady Har- 
riet's maid was suddenly taken so very ill as to 
he quite unfit for travelling ; therefore she was left 
behind, and a doctor sent for to attend her ; while 
Lady Harriet said she would trust to the maids 
at Holiday House, for waiting upon herself and 
Laura. 

It is seldom that so happy a face is seen in this 
world as Laura wore during the whole journey. 
It perfectly sparkled and glittered with delight, 
while she was so constantly on a broad grin, laugh- 
ing, that Major Graham said he feared her mouth 
would grow an inch wider on the occasion. 

" You will tire of sitting so long idle ! It is 
a pity we did not think of bringing a few lesson- 
books in the carriage, to amuse you, Laura," said 
the Major, slyly. " A piece of needle-work might 
have beguiled the way. I once knew an indus- 
trious lady who made a ball-dress for herself in 
the carriage during a journey." 

" How very stupid of her to miss seeing all the 
pretty trees, and cottages, and farm-houses ! I do 
like to watch the little, curly-headed, dirty children, 
playing on the road, with brown faces, and hair 
bleached white in the sun ; and the women hanging 
out their clothes on the hedges to dry ; and the 
blacksmith shoeing horses, and the ducks swim- 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK 91 

ming in the gutters, and the pigs thrusting their 
noses out of the sty, and the old women knitting 
stockings, and the workmen sitting on a Avail, to 
eat their dinners ! It looks all so pretty and so 
pleasant ! " 

" What a picture of rural felicity ! You ought 
to he a poet or a painter, Laura! " 

" But I believe poets always call this a miserable 
world ; and I think it the happiest place I have 
ever been in, uncle David ! Such fun during the 
holidays ! I should go wild altogether, if Mrs 
Crabtree were not rather cross sometimes." 

"Or very cross always," thought Major Graham. 

" But here we are, Laura, near our journey's end. 
Allow me to introduce you to Holiday House ! 
Why, you are staring at it like a clog looking at 
a piece of cold beef! My dear girl, if you open 
your eyes so wide, you will never be able to shut 
them again." 

Holiday House was not one of those prodigious 
places, too grand to be pleasant, with the garden 
a mile off in one direction, and the farm a mile off 
in another, and the drawing-room a mile off from 
the dining-room; but it was a very cheerful, modern 
mansion, with rooms large enough to hold as many 
people as any one could desire to see at once, all 
very comfortably furnished. A lively, dashing river 
streamed past the windows; a small park, sprinkled 



92 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

with sheep, and shaded l>y fine trees, surrounded 
the house; and beyond were beautiful gardens, filled 
with a superabundance of the gayest and sweetest 
common flowers. Roses, carnations, wallflowers, 
hollyhocks, dahlias, lilies, and violets, were assem- 
bled there in such crowds, that Laura might have 
plucked nosegays all day, without making any vi- 
sible difference ; and she was also made free of the 
gooseberry bushes and cherry-trees, with leave to 
gather, if she pleased, more than she could eat. 

Every morning, Laura entered the breakfast- 
room with cheeks like the roses she carried, bring- 
ing little bouquets for all the ladies, which she had 
started out of bed early in order to gather ; and 
her great delight was to see them worn and ad- 
mired all the forenoon, while she was complimented 
on the taste with which they had been selected and 
arranged. She filled every ornamental jar, basin, 
and tea-cup in the drawing-room, with groups of 
roses, and would have been the terror of any gar- 
dener but the one at Holiday House, who liked to 
see his flowers so much admired, and was not keep- 
ing up any for a horticultural show. 

Laura's chief delight, however, was in the dairy, 
which seemed the most beautiful thing she had 
ever beheld, being built of rough, transparent spar, 
which looked exactly like crystal, and reminded her 
of the ice palace built by the Empress of Huaaia. 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 03 

The windows were of painted glass ; the walls and 
shelves were of Dutch tiles, and in the centre rose 
a beautiful jet d'eau of clear, bright water. 

Laura thought it looted like something built 
for the fairies ; but within she saw a most sub- 
stantial room, the floor and tables in which were so 
completely covered with cheeses, that they looked 
like some old Mosaic pavement. Here the good- 
natured dairymaid shewed Laura how to make 
cheese, and afterwards manufactured a very small 
one, about the size of a soup plate, entirely for the 
young lady herself, which she promised to take 
home after her visit was over ; and a little churn 
was also filled full of cream, which Laura one 
morning churned into butter, and breakfasted up- 
on, after having first practised printing it into a 
variety of shapes. It was altered about twenty 
times from a swan into a cow, and from a cow into 
a rose, and from a rose back to a swan again, be- 
fore she could be persuaded to leave off her amuse- 
ment. 

Laura continued to become more and more de- 
lighted with Holiday House ; and she one day 
skipped about Lady Harriet's room, saying, 

" Oh ! I am too happy ! I scarcely know what 
to do with so much happiness. How delightful 
it would be to stay here all my life, and never to 



94 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

go to bed, nor say any more lessons, as long as I 
live!" 

" What a useless, stupid girl you would soon 
become," observed Lady Harriet. " Do you think, 
Laura, that lessons were invented for no other 
purpose but to torment little children ?" 

" No, grandmama ; not exactly ! They are of 
use also to keep us quiet." 

" Come here, little madam, and listen to me. I 
shall soon be very old, Laura, and not able to read 
my Bible, even with spectacles ; for, as the Scrip- 
tures told us, in that affecting description of old age 
which I read to you yesterday, ' The keepers of 
the house shall tremble, and the grinders cease, 
because they are few, and those that look out of 
the windows be darkened;' what, then, do you think 
I can do, because the Bible now is my best comfort, 
which I shall need more and more every day, to 
tell me all about the eternal world, where I am 
going, and to shew me the way \ " 

" Grandmama ! you promised long ago to let 
me attend on you when you grow old and blind ! 
I shall be very careful, and very — very — very 
kind. I almost wish yon were old and blind now, 
to let you feel how much I love you, and how 
anxious I am to be as good to you as you liavo 
always been to me. \\c shall read the Bible to- 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 95 

gether every morning, and as often afterwards as 
you please." 

" Thank you, my dear child ! but you must take 
the trouble of learning to read well, or we shall 
be sadly puzzled with the difficult words. A friend 
of mine once had nobody that could read to her 
when she was ill but the maid, who bargained 
that she might leave out every word above two 
syllables long, because they were too hard for 
her ; and you could hardly help laughing at the 
nonsense it sometimes made ; but I hope you will 
manage better." 

" certainly, grandmama ! I can spell chro- 
nonhotonthologos, and all the other five-cornered 
words in my ' Reading Made Easy,' already." 

"Besides that, my dear Laura ! unless you learn 
to look over my bills, I may be sadly cheated by 
servants and shopkeepers. You must positively 
study to find out how many cherries make five." 

" Ah ! grandmama ! nobody knows better than 
I do, that two and two make four. I shall soon 
be quite able to keep your accounts." 

" Very well ! but you have not yet heard half 
the trouble I mean to give you. I am remark- 
ably fond of music, and shall probably at last be 
obliged to hire every old fiddler as he passes in 
the street, by giving him sixpence, in order to en- 
joy some of my favourite tunes." 



96 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

" No, grandmama ! you shall hear them all from 
mc. T can play Malbrook, and Auld Robin Gray, 
already ; and Frank says if I practise two hours 
every day for ten years, I shall become a very 
tolerable player, fit for you and uncle David to 
hear, without being disagreeable." 

" Then that will be more than seven thousand 
hours of musical lessons which you have yet to 
endure, Laura ! There are many more things of 
still greater importance to learn also, if you wish 
to be any better than a musical snuff-box. For 
instance, when visitors come to see me, they aro 
often from France or Italy ; but perhaps you 
will not mind sitting in the room as if you were 
deaf and dumb, gazing at those foreigners, while 
they gaze at you, without understanding a sylla- 
ble they say, and causing them to feel strange 
and uncomfortable as long as they remain in the 
house." 

" No ! I would not for the world seem so un- 
kind and uncivil. Pray, let me learn plenty of lan- 
guages." 

" Very well ! but if you study no geography, 
what ridiculous blunders you will be falling into ! 
asking the Italians about their native town Mad- 
rid, and the Americans if they were born at Peters- 
burgh. You will be fancying that travellers go by 
steam-boats to Moscow, and travel in a day from 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 07 

Paris, through Stockholm to Naples. How ashamed 
I should he of such mistakes !" 

" So should I, grandmama, still more than you ; 
for it would be quite a disgrace." 

" Do you remember, Laura, your uncle David 
laughing, when he last went to live at Leamington, 
about poor Mrs Marmalade coming up stairs to 
say, she did not wish to be troublesome, but she 
would feel greatly obliged if he would call at Ports- 
mouth occasionally to see her son Thomas % And 
when Captain Armylist's regiment was ordered 
last winter to the village of Bathgate, near this, he 
told me they were to march in the course of that 
morning all the way to Bagdad!" 

"Yes, grandmama ! and Mrs Crabtree said some 
weeks ago, that if her brother went to Van Die- 
men's Land, she thought he would of course, in 
passing, take a look of Jerusalem ; and Frank was 
amused lately to hear Peter Grey maintain, that 
Gulliver was as great a man as Columbus, because 
he discovered Liliput ! " 

" Quite like him ! for I heard Peter ask one day 
lately, what side Bonaparte was on at the battle 
of Leipsic ! We must include a little history. I 
think, Laura, in our list of studies, or you will 
fancy that Lord Nelson fought at the battle of 
Blenheim, and that Henry VIII. cut off Queen 
Mary's head." 



98 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

" Not quite so bad as that, grandmama! I seem 
to have known all about Lord Nelson and Queen 
Mary, ever since I was a baby in long frocks ! You 
hare shewn me, however, that it would be very 
foolish not to feel anxious for lessons, especially 
when they are to make me a fit companion for you 
at last." 

" Yes, Laura! and not only for me, but for many 
whose conversation will entertain and improve you 
more than any books. The most delightful ac- 
complishment that a young person can cultivate, 
is that of conversing agreeably ; and it is less at- 
tended to in education than in any other. You 
cannot take a harp or piano about with you ; but 
our minds and tongues are always portable, and 
accompany us wherever we go. If you wish to 
be loved by others, and to do good to your asso- 
ciates, as well as to entertain them, take every 
opportunity of conversing with those who are either 
amiable or agreeable ; not only attending to their 
opinions, but also endeavouring to gain the habit 
of expressing your own thoughts with ease and 
fluency ; and then rest assured, that if the gift of 
conversation be rightly exercised, it is the most 
desirable of all, as no teaching can have greater 
influence in leading people to think and act aright, 
than the incidental remarks of an enlightened 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 99 

Christian, freely and unaffectedly talking to his in- 
timate friends." 

" Well, grandmama ! the moral of all this is, 
that I shall become busier than anybody ever was 
before, when we get home ; but in the mean time, 
I may take a good dose of idleness now at Holi- 
day House, to prepare me for setting to very hard 
labour afterwards," said Laura, hastily tying on 
her bonnet. " I wonder if I shall ever be as merry 
and happy again !" 

Most unfortunately, all the time of Laura's 
visit at Holiday House, she had been, as usual, 
extremely heedless, in taking no care whatever of 
her clothes ! consequently her blue merino frock 
had been cruelly torn ; her green silk dress be- 
came frightfully soiled ; four white frocks were 
utterly ruined ; her Swiss muslin seemed a per- 
fect object ; and her pink gingham was both torn 
and discoloured. Regularly every evening Lady 
Harriet told her to take better care, or she would 
be a bankrupt in frocks altogether ; but whatever 
her grandmama said on that subject, the moment 
she was out of sight it went out of mind, till an- 
other dress had shared the same deplorable fate. 

At last, one morning, as soon as Laura got up, 
Lady Harriet gravely led her towards a large table 
on which all the ill-used frocks had been laid out 
in a row ; and a most dismal sight they were ! Such 



100 TIIK LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

a collection of stains and fractures was probablj 
never seen before ! A beggar would scarcely have 
thanked her for her blue merino ; and the green 
Bilk frock looked like the tattered cover of a worn- 
out umbrella. 

" Laura," said Lady Harriet, " in Switzerland 
a lady's wardrobe descends to many generations ; 
but nobody will envy your successor ! One might 
fancy that a wild beast had torn you to pieces every 
day ! I wonder what an old clothesman would give 
for your whole baggage ! It is only fit for being 
used as rags in a paper manufactory !" 

Poor Laura's face became perfectly pink when 
she saw the destruction that a very short time 
had occasioned ; and she looked from one tattered 
garment to another, in melancholy silence, think- 
ing how lately they had all been fresh and beauti- 
ful ; but now not a vestige of their former splen- 
dour remained. At last her grandmama broke the 
awful silence, by saying, 

'• My dear girl ! I have warned you very often 
lately, that we are not at home, where your frocks 
could be washed and mended as soon as they were 
spoiled ; but without considering this, you have 
every day destroyed several ; so now the maid finds, 
on examining your drawers, that there is only one 
clean frock remaining!" 

Laura looked gravely at the last clean frock, 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 101 

and wondered much what her grandraama would 
say next. 

" I do not wish to make a prisoner of you at 
home during this very fine weather ; yet in five 
minutes after leaving the house, you will, of course, 
become unfit to be seen, which I should very much 
regret, as a number of fine people are coming to 
dinner, whom you would like to see. The great 
General Courteney, and all his aides-de-camp, in- 
tend to be here on their way from a review, be- 
sides many officers and ladies who know your 
papa very well, and wish to see my little grand- 
daughter ; but I would not on any account allow 
you to appear before them, looking like a perfect 
tatterdemalion, as you too often do. They would 
suppose you had been drawn backwai'ds through 
a hedge ! Now my plan is, that you shall wear 
this old pink gingham for romping all morning 
in the garden, and dress in your last clean frock 
for dinner ; but remember to keep out of sight 
till then. Remain within the garden walls, as none 
of the company will be walking there, but be sure 
to avoid the terraces and shrubberies till you are 
made tidy ; for I shall be both angry and morti- 
fied if your papa's friends see you for the first 
time looking like rag-fair." 

Laura promised to remember her grandmama's 
injunctions, and to remain invisible all morning 



102 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

so off slie set to the garden, singing and skipping 
with joy ; a s she ran towards her pleasant hiding- 
place, planning twenty ways in which the day 
might he delightfully spent alone. Before long 
she had strung a long necklace of daisies — she 
had put many bright leaves in a book to dry — 
she had made a large ball of cowslips to toss in 
the air — she had watered the hyacinths with a 
watering-pot, till they were nearly washed away 
— she had plucked more roses than could possi- 
bly be carried, and ate as many gooseberries and 
cherries as it was convenient to swallow, — but still 
there were several hours remaining to be enjoyed, 
and nothing very particular, that Laura could think 
of, to do. 

Meanwhile, the miserable pink frock was torn 
worse than ever, and seemed to be made of no- 
thing but holes, for every gooseberry-bush in the 
garden had got a share of it. Laura wished pink 
gingham frocks had never been invented, and won- 
dered why nothing stronger could be made. Hav- 
ing become perfectly tired of the garden, she now 
wished herself anywhere else in the world, and 
thought she was no better off, confined in this 
way within four walls, than a canary bird in a 
cage. 

" I should like so much to go, if it were only 
for five minutes, on the terrace 1" said she to hep- 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 103 

self. " How much pleasanter it is than this ! 
Grandmaraa did not care where I went, provided 
nohody saw me ! I may at least take a peep, to 
see if any one is there !" 

Laura now cautiously opened the garden-door, 
and put her head out, intending only to look for 
a moment; but the moment grew longer and long- 
er, till it stretched into ten minutes. 

" What crowds of fine people are walking about 
on the terrace ! " thought she. " It looks as gay 
as a fair ! Who can that officer be in a red coat, 
and cocked hat with white feathers 1 Probably 
General Courteney paying attention to Lady Rock- 
ville. There is a lady in a blue cloak aud blue 
flowers ! how very pretty ! Everybody is so ex- 
ceedingly smart ! and I see some little boys too ! 
Grandmama never told me any children were com- 
ing ! I wonder how old they are, and if they Avill 
play with me in the evening ! It would be very 
amusing to venture a little nearer, and get a better 
glimpse of them all !" 

If Laura's wishes pointed one way and her duty 
pointed the other, it was a very sad thing how 
often she forgot to pause and consider which she 
ought to follow ; and on this occasion, as usual, 
she took the naughty side of the question, and 
prepared to indulge her curiosity, though very 
anxious that nothing might happen to displease 



104 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

her grandmama. She observed at some distance 
on the terrace a remarkably thick holly-bush, 
near which the great procession of company would 
probably pass before long ; therefore, hoping no- 
body could possibly see her there, she stole hastily 
out of the garden and concealed herself behind it ; 
but when children do wrong, in hopes of not be- 
ing found out, they generally find themselves mis- 
taken, as Laura soon discovered to her cost. It 
is very lucky, however, for the culprits, when they 
are detected, that they may learn never to behave 
foolishly again, because the greatest misfortune 
that can happen to any child is, not to be found 
out and punished when he does wrong. 

A few minutes after Laura had taken her sta- 
tion behind the holly-bush, crowds of ladies and 
officers came strolling along, so very near her 
hiding-place, that she saw them all distinctly, and 
felt excessively amused and delighted at first, to 
be perched like a bird in a tree, watching this 
grand party, while nobody saw her, nor guessed 
that she was there. Presently, however, Laura 
became sadly frightened when an officer in a scar- 
let coat happened to look towards the holly-bush, 
and exclaimed, with some surprise, 

" There is surely something very odd about that 
plant ! I dcc large pink spots between the leaves !" 

" Oh no, Captain Digby, you are quite mistaken," 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 105 

answered one of the ladies, dressed in a bright 
yellow bonnet and green pelisse. " I sec nothing 
particular there ! Only a common ugly bush of 
holly ! I wonder you ever thought of noticing 
it!" 

" But, Miss Perceval ! there certainly is some- 
thing very curious behind ! I would bet five to 
one there is !" replied Captain Digby, stepping up 
close to the holly-bush, and peeping over : " What 
have we here ? a ragged little girl, I do believe ' 
in a pink frock !" 

Poor Laura Avas now in a terrible scrape ! she 
started up immediately to run away. Probably she 
never ran so fast in her life before, but Captain 
Digby was a person who enjoyed a joke ; so ho 
called out, 

" Tally-nr ; a race for a thousand pounds !" 

Off set the Captain, and away flew Laura. At 
any other time she would have thought it capital 
fun, but now she was frightened out of her wits, 
and tore away at the very top of her speed. The 
whole party of ladies and gentlemen stood laugh- 
ing and applauding, to see how fast they both 
cleared the ground, while Laura, seeing the gar- 
den-gate still wide open, hoped she might be ablo 
to dart in, and close it ; but alas ! when she ar- 
rived within four steps of the threshold, feeling 



106 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

almost certain of escape, Captain Digby seized 
hold of her pink frock behind. It instantly be- 
gan tearing, so she had great hopes of leaving 
the piece in his hand and getting off; but he was 
too clever for that, as he grasped hold of her long 
sash, which was floating far out behind, and led 
Laura a prisoner before the whole company. 

When Lady Harriet discovered that this was 
really Laura advancing, her head hanging down, 
her hair streaming about her ears, and her face like 
a full moon, she could scarcely credit her own 
eyes, and held her hands up with astonishment 
while uncle David shrugged his shoulders, till they 
almost met over his head, but not a word was 
said on either side until they got home, when 
Lady Harriet at last broke the awful silence by 
saying, 

" My dear girl ! you must, of course, be se- 
verely punished for this act of disobedience ; and 
it is not so much on account of feeling angry at 
your misconduct that I mean to correct you, but 
because I love you, and wish to make you behave 
better in future. Parents are appointed by God 
to govern their children as lie governs us, not care- 
lessly indulging their faults, but wisely correcting 
them ; for wc are told that our Great Father in 
heaven chastens those whom He loves, and only 
afflicts us for «reat and wise purposes. I have 



TIIE LAST CLEAtf FROCK. 107 

Buffered many sorrows in the world, but they al- 
ways made me better in the end ; and whatever 
discipline you meet with from me, or from that 
Great Being who loves you still more than I do, 
let it teach you to consider your ways, to repent 
of your wilfulness, and to pray that you may bo 
enabled to act more properly in future." 

"Yes, grandmama," replied Laura, with tears in 
her eyes, "I am quite willing to be punished ; for 
it was very wrong indeed to make you so vexed 
and ashamed, by disobeying your orders." 

" Then here is a long task which you must study 
before dinner, as a penalty for trespassing bounds. 
It is a beautiful poem on the death of Sir John 
Moore, which every school-girl can repeat ; but 
being rather long you will scarcely have time to 
learn it perfectly, before coining down to dessert ; 
therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring 
now for Lady Rockville's maid, and have you 
washed and dressed immediately. Remember this 
is your last clean frock, and be sure not to spoil 
it." 

When Laura chose to pay attention, she could 
learn her lessons wonderfully fast, and her eyes 
seemed nailed to the book for some time after Lady 
Harriet went away, till at last she could repeat the 
whole poem perfectly well. It was neither " slowly 
nor sadly" that Laura "laid down" her book, 



108 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till bIio 
could rattle over the poem like a railroad, and she 
walked to the window, still murmuring the verses 
to herself with prodigious glee, and giving little 
thought to their melancholy subject. 

A variety of plans suggested themselves to her 
mind for amusing herself within doors, as she had 
been forbidden to venture out, and she lost no time 
in executing them. First, she tried on all her 
grandmama's caps at a looking-glass, none of 
which were improved by being crushed and tumbled 
in such a way. Then she quarrelled with Lady 
Rockville's beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her fin- 
ger violently, and after that, she teased the old cat 
till it scratched her ; but all these diversions were 
not sufficiently entertaining, so Laura began to 
grow rather tired, till at last she went to gaze out 
at the portico of Holiday House, being perfectly 
determined, on no account whatever, to go one 
single step farther. 

Here Laura 3aw many things which entertained 
her extremely; for she had scarcely ever seen more 
of the country than was to be enjoyed with Mrs 
Crabtree in Charlotte Square. The punctual crows 
were all returning home at their usual hour for 
the evening, and looked like a black shower over 
her head, while hundreds of them seemed trying 
to make a concert at once ; the robins hopped 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 109 

cioae to her feet, evidently accustomed to be fed ; 
a tame pheasant, as fat as a London alderman, 
came up the steps to keep her company ; and the 
peacock spreading his tail, and strutting about, 
looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity. 

Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, 
and crumbled down nearly a loaf of bread, which 
she scattered on the ground, in order to be popu- 
lar among her visitors, who took all they could get 
from her, and quarrelled among themselves about 
it, very much as boys and girls would perhaps have 
done in the same circumstances. 

It happened at this moment that a large flock 
of geese crossed the park, on their way towards 
the river, stalking along in a slow, majestic manner, 
with their heads high in the air. Laura observed 
them at a distance, and thought they were the pret- 
tiest creatures in the world, with their pure white 
feathers and yellow stockings ; so she wondered 
what kind of birds these were, having never seen 
a goose before, except when roasted for dinner, 
though indeed, she was a sad goose herself, as will 
very soon be told. 

" How I should like to examine those large, 
white, beautiful birds, a little nearer," thought 
Laura to herself. " I wonder if they could swim 
or fly ! — oh ! how perfect they would look floating 
like water-lilies on the river, and then I might take 



110 THE LAST CLEAIT FROCK 

a bit of bread to throw in, and they would all ruBh 
after it !" 

Laura, as usual, did not wait to reflect what her 
grandmama might be likely to think ! Indeed it is 
to be feared Laura forgot at the moment that she 
had a grandmama at all ; for her mind was never 
large enough to hold more than one thing at a time, 
and now it was entirely filled with the flock of geese. 
She instantly set off in pursuit of them, and began 
chasing the whole party across the park, making 
all sorts of dreadful noises, in hopes they might 
fly ; hut, on the contrary, they held up their heads, 
as if she had been a dancing-master, and marched 
slowly on, cackling loudly to each other, and evi- 
dently getting extremely angry. 

Laura was now quite close to her new acquain- 
tances, and even threw a pebble to hurry them for- 
ward, when suddenly an old gander stopped, and 
turned round in terrible rage. The whole flock of 
geese then did the same, after which they flew to- 
wards Laura, with their bills wide open, hissing 
furiously, and stretching out their long necks in 
an angry, menacing Avay, as if they wished to tear 
her in pieces. 

Poor Laura became frightened out of any wits 
she ever had, and ran off, with all the geese after 
her ! Anybody must have laughed into fits, could 
they hare heard what a triumphant cackle the geese 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. Ill 

set up, and had they seen how fast she flew away. 
If Laura had borrowed a pair of wings from her 
pursuers, she could scarcely haye got more quickly 
on. 

In the hurry of escaping, she always looked back 
to see if the enemy followed, and scarcely observed 
which way she ran herself, till suddenly her foot 
stumbled upon a large stone, and she fell headlong 
into the river ! Oh, what a scream Laura gave ! 
it terrified everi the old gander himself, and sent 
the whole flock of geese marching off, nearly as fast 
as they had come ; but Laura's cries also reached, 
at a great distance, the ears of somebody, who she 
would have been very sorry to think had heard 
them. 

Lady Harriet, and all her friends at Holiday 
House, were taking a delightful walk under some 
fine old fir-trees, on the banks of the river, admi- 
ring the beautiful scenery, while Miss Perceval was 
admiring nothing but her own fine pocket-hand- 
kerchief, which had cost ten guineas, being worked 
with her name, trimmed with lace, and perfumed 
with eau-de-Cologne ; and Captain Digby was ad- 
miring his own scarlet uniform, reflected in the 
bright, clear water, and varying his employment 
occasionally by throwing pebbles into the stream, 
to see how far they would go. Suddenly, however, 
he stopped, with a look of surprise and alarm, 



112 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

saying, " What noise can that he ?— a loud scream 
in the water !" 

" Oh dear, no ! it was only one of those horrid 
peacocks," answered Miss Perceval, waving her 
fine pocket-handkerchief. " They are the most dis- 
agreeable, noisy creatures in the world ! If mama 
ever keeps one, I shall get him a singing-master, 
or put a muzzle on his mouth !" 

"But surely there is something splashing in the 
river at a great distance. Do you see that ! — 
what can that be ! " 

" Nothing at all, depend upon it ! I could bet 
the value of my pocket-handkerchief, ten guineas, 
that it is nothing. Officers who live constantly in 
the barracks are so unaccustomed to the country, 
that they seem to expect something wonderful shall 
happen every minute ! That is probably a salmon 
or a minnow." 

" I am determined, however, to see. If you are 
quite sure this is a salmon, will you promise to eat 
for your dinner whatever we find, provided I can 
catch it?" 

" Certainly ! unless you catch a whale ! Oh ! I 
have dropped my pocket-handkerchief, — pray pick 
it up!" 

Captain Digby did so ; but without waiting to 
examine the pattern, he instantly ran forward, and 
to his own very great astonishment, saw Laura up 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 113 

to her knees in the river, trying to scramble out, 
while her face was white with terror, and her limbs 
trembled with cold, like a poodle dog newly washed. 

" Why, here you are again ! — the very same lit- 
tle girl that I caught in the morning," cried lie, 
laughing heartily, while he carefully pulled Laura 
towards the bank, though, by doing so, he splash- 
ed his beautiful uniform most distressingly. " We 
have had a complete gar£?"3 at bo-peep to-day, my 
friend ! but here comes a lady who has promised to 
eat you up, therefore I shall have no more trouble." 

Laura would have consented to be eaten up with 
pleasure, rather than encounter Lady Harriet's eye, 
who really did not recognise her for the first mi- 
nute, as no one can suppose what a figure she ap- 
peared. The last clean frock had been covered en- 
tirely over with mud — her hair was dripping with 
water — and her new yellow sash might be any colour 
in the world. Laura felt so completely ashamed, 
she could not look up from the ground, and so 
sorry, she could not speak, while hot tears mingled 
themselves with the cold water which trickled down 
her face. 

" What is the matter? Who is this?" cried Lady 
Harriet, hurrying up to the place where they stood. 
" Laura! ! impossible! ! ! " 

" Let me put on a pair of spectacles, for I cannot 
believe my eyes without them!" said Major Graham, 



114 THE LAST CLEAN" FROCK. 

" All ! sure enough it is Laura, and such a look 
ing Laura as I never saw before. You must hare 
had a nice cold bath!" 

" I have heard," continued Lady Harriet, " that 
naughty people are often ducked in the water as 
a punishment, and in that respect I am sure Laura 
deserves what she has got, and a great deal more." 

" She reminds me,'' observed Captain Digby, 
" of the Chinese bird which has no legs, so it con- 
stantly flies about from place to place, never a 
moment at rest." 

" Follow me, Laura," said Lady Harriet, " that 
I may hear whether you have anything to say for 
yourself on this occasion. It is scarcely possible 
that there can be any excuse, but nobody should 
be condemned unheard." 

When Laura had been put into dry clothes, she 
told her whole history, and entreated Lady Harriet 
to hear how very perfectly she had first learned 
her task before venturing to stir out of the room ; 
upon which her grandmama consented, and amidst 
tears and sobs, the monody of Sir John Moore was 
repeated without a single mistake. Lady Rock- 
ville then came in, to entreat that, as this was the 
last day of the visit to Holiday House, Laura might 
be forgiven and permitted to appear at dessert, as 
all the company were anxious to see her, and par- 
ticularly Captain Digby. who regretted that ha 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 115 

had been the means at first of getting her into a 
scrape. 

" Indeed, my dear Lady Eockville ! I might per- 
haps have agreed to your wishes," answered Lady 
Harriet, " particularly as Laura seems sincerely 
sorry, and did net premeditate her disobedience ; 
but she actually has not a tolerable frock to ap- 
pear in now!" 

" I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to 
destroy next," said Lady Rockville, smiling. 

" Uncle David's Mackintosh cloak would be the 
fittest thing for her to wear," replied Lady Har- 
riet, rising to leave the room. " Laura, you must 
learn a double task now! Here it is ! and at Lady 
Eockville's request I excuse you this once; though 
I am sorry that, for very sufficient reasons, we can- 
not see you at dessert, which otherwise I should 
have been most happy to do." 

Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an 
hour after Lady Harriet had gone to dinner. She 
felt very sorry for having behaved ill, and sorry to 
have vexed her good grandmama ; and sorry not 
to see all the fine party at dessert ; and sorry to 
think that next day she must leave Holiday House; 
and sorry, last of all, to consider what Mrs Crabtree 
would say when all her ruined frocks were brought 
home. In short, poor Laura felt perfectly over- 
whelmed with the greatness and variety of her 



116 THE LAST CLEAN FKOCK. 

fp'icfs, and scarcely believed that any one- in the 
world was ever more miserable than herself. 

Her eyes were fixed on her task, •while her 
thoughts were wandering fifty miles away from it, 
when a housemaid, who had frequently attended 
upon Laura during her visit, accidentally entered 
the room, and seemed much surprised, as well as 
concerned, to find the young lady in such a way ; 
for her sobbing could be heard in the next room. 
It was quite a relief to see any one ; so Laura told 
over again all the sad adventures of the day, with- 
out attempting to conceal how naughty she had 
been ; and most attentively was her narrative listen- 
ed to, till the very end. 

" You see, Miss!" observed Nelly, "when peo- 
ple doesn't behave well, they must expect to be 
punished." 

"So they should !" sobbed Laura; "and I daresay 
it will make me better ! I would not pass such a 
miserable day as this again, for the world ; but I 
deserve to be more punished than I am." 

"That's right, Miss!" replied Nelly, pleased to 
see the good effect of her admonitions. "Punish- 
ment is as sure to do us good when we are naughty, 
as physic when we are ill. But now you'll go 
down to dessert, and forget it all." 

" No ! grandmama would have allowed me, and 
Lady Pvockville and everybody was so very kind 



THE LAST CLEAN EllOCK. Li7 

about inviting me down ; but my last clean frock 
is quite unfit to be seen, so I have none to put on. 
Oh, dear! what a thousand million of pities !" 

"Is that all, Miss ! Then dry your eyes, and 
I can wash the frock in ten minutes. Give it to 
me, and learn your lesson, so as to be ready when 
I come back." 

Laura sprang off her seat with joy at this pro- 
posal, and ran — or rather flew — to fetch her 
miserable object of a frock, which Nelly crum- 
pled under her arm, and walked away with, in 
such haste that she was evidently determined to 
return very soon ; while Laura took her good ad- 
vice, and sat down to learn her task, though she 
could hardly look at the book during two minutes 
at a time — she watched so impatiently for her 
benefactress from the laundry. 

At length the door flew open, and in walked 
Nelly, whose face looked as red and hot as a 
beef-steak ; but in her hand she carried a basket, 
on which was laid out, in great state, the very 
cleanest frock that ever was seen ! It perfectly 
Binelled of soap and water, starch and hot irons, 
and seemed still almost smoking from the laundry; 
while Laura looked at it with such delight and ad- 
miration, it might have been supposed she had 
never seen a clean frock before. 

'Vhen Lady Harriet was sitting after dinner 
9 



118 THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 

that day, sipping her wine, and thinking about 
nothing very particular, she became surprised to 
feel somebody gently twitching her sleeve to at- 
tract notice. Turning instantly round to ascer- 
tain what was the matter, and who it could be, what 
was her astonishment to see Laura at her elbow, 
looking rather shy and frightened. 

" How did you get here, child !" exclaimed Lady 
Harriet, in accents of amazement, though almost 
laughing. "Am I never to see the last of you to- 
day ? Where did you get that frock? It must 
have dropped from the clouds ! Or did some good 
fairy give you a new one?" 

" That good fairy was Nelly the housemaid," 
whispered Laura. " She first tossed my frock into 
a washing-tub : and then at the great kitchen fire 
she toasted it, and — " 

" And buttered it, I hope," added Major 



Cfraham. "Come here, Laura! I can read what 
is written in your grandmama's face at this mo- 
ment ; and it says, 'you are a tiresome little puss, 
that nobody can keep in any order except uncle 
David;' therefore sit down beside him, and eat as 
many almonds and raiisins as he bids you." 

"You are a nice, funny uncle David!" whis- 
porcd Laura, crushing her way in between his chair 
and Miss Perceval's; "nobody will need a tongue 



THE LAST CLEAN FROCK. 119 

now, if you can read so exactly what we are all 
thinking." 

"But here is Miss Perceval, still more wonder- 
ful ; for she knows by the bumps on your head, 
all that is contained inside. Let me see if I could 
do so ! There ift a large bump of reading, and a 
small one of writing and arithmetic. Here is a 
terrible organ of breaking dolls and destroying 
frocks. There is a very small bump of liking uncle 
David, and a prodigious one of liking almonds and 
raisins !" 

" No ! you are quite mistaken ! It is the largest 
bump for loving uncle David, and the small one 
for every thing else," interrupted Laura, eagerly. 
"I shall draw a map of my head some day, to shew 
you how it is all divided." 

"And leave no room for any thing naughty or 
foolish ! Your head should be swept out, and put 
in order every morning, that not a single cobweb 
may remain in your brains. What busy braina 
they must be for the next ten years ! But in the 
mean time let us hope that you will never again 
be reduced to your 



" LAST CLEAN FROCK." 



CHAPTER VI 



THE LOXG LADDEP 



There was a young pickle, and what do you thir.k! 
He lived upon nothing but victuals and drink ; 
Victuals and drink were the chief of his diet, 
And yet this young pickle could never be quiet. 

One fine, sultry dayin the month of August, Hari'5 
and Laura stood at the breakfast-room window, 
wondering to see the large, broken, white clouds, 
looking like curds and whey, while the sun was in 
such a blaze of heat, that everything seemed al- 
most red-hot. The street door had become blis- 
tered by the sunbeams. Jowlcr the dog lay bask- 
ing on the pavement ; the green blinds were closed 
at every opposite house ; the few gentlemen who 
ventured out, were fanning themselves with their 
pocket handkerchiefs ; the ladies were strolling 
lazily along, under the umbrageous shade of their 
green parasols ; and the poor people who were 
accustomed in winter to sell matches for lighting 



THE LONG LADDER. 121 

a fire, now carried about gaudy paper-hangings 
for the empty grates. Lady Harriet found the but- 
ter so melted at breakfast, that she could scarcely 
lift it on her knife ! and uncle David complained 
that the sight of hot smoking tea put him in a 
fever, and said he wished it could be iced. 

"I wonder how iced porridge would taste! " said 
Harry. " I put mine at the open window to cool, 
but that made it seem hotter. We were talking 
of the gentleman you mentioned yesterday, who 
toasted his muffins at a volcano ; and certainly 
yours might almost be done at the drawing-room 
window this morning." 

" Wait till you arrive at the countries I have 
visited, where, as somebody remarked, the very sala- 
manders die of heat. At Agra, which is the hot- 
test part of India, we could scarcely write a letter, 
because the ink dries in the pen before you can 
get it to the paper. I was obliged, when our regi- 
ment was there, to lie down in the middle of the 
day, during several hours, actually gasping for 
breath ; and to make up for that we all rose at 
midnight. An officer of ours, who lived long in 
India, got up always at three in the morning, after 
we returned home, and walked about the streets 
of Portsmouth, wondering what had become of 
everybody." 

" I shall try not to grumble about the weather 



122 THE LONG LADDER. 

any more," said Laura. "We seem no worse off 
than other people." 

"Or rather we are a great deal better off! At 
Bermuda, where my regiment stopped on its way 
to America, the inhabitants are so tormented with 
high winds, that they build ' hurricane houses' — 
low, flat rooms, where the families must retire 
when a storm comes on, as trees, houses, people, 
and cattle, are all whirled about with such violence, 
that not a life is safe on the island while it lasts." 

"That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, "of a 
droll mistake made yesterday by the African camel, 
when he landed at Leith. His keepers were lead- 
ing him along the high road to be made a show 
of in Edinburgh, at a time when the wind was par- 
ticularly high, and the poor animal, encountering 
such clouds of dust, thought this must be a simoom 
of the desert, and threw himself flat down, bury- 
ing his nose in the ground, according to custom 
on those occasions. It was with great difficulty 
that he could at last be induced to face the dan- 
ger, and proceed." 

"Quite a compliment to our dust," observed 
Laura. "But really, in such a hot day, the kan- 
garoos and tigers might feel perfectly at home 
here. Oh! how I should like to visit the Zoolo- 
gical Gardens in London!" 

"Then suppose we set off immediately!" said 



THE LONG LADDER. 123 

Major Graham, pretending to rise from liis cliair. 
"Your grandmama's donkey-carriage holds two." 

" Ah ! but you could carry the donkey-carriage 
more easily than it could carry you!" 

"Shall I try? Well, if we go, who is to pay the 
turnpikes, for I remember the time, not a hundred 
years ago, when Harry and you both thought that 
paying the gates was the only expense of travel- 
ling. You asked me then how poor grandmama 
could afford so many shillings and sixpences." 

"We know all about every thing now, though!" 
said Harry, nodding in a very sagacious manner. 
"I can tell exactly how much time it takes going 
by the public coach to London, and it sleeps only 
one night on the road." 

"Sleeps!" cried uncle David. "What? it puts 
on a nightcap, and goes to bed?" 

" Yes ! and it dines and breakfasts too, Mr uncle 
David ; for "I heard Mrs Crabtree say so." 

" Never name anybody, unless you wish to see 
her immediately," said Major Graham, hearing a 
well-known tap at the door. "As sure as you 
mention an absent person, if he is supposed to be 
fifty miles off at the time, it is rather odd, but he 
instantly appears ! " 

"Then there is somebody that I shall speak 
about very often." 

" Who can this Mr Somebody be ? " asked uncle 



124 THE LONG LADDEK. 

David, smiling. "A foolish person that spoils 
you both I daresay, and gives you large slices of 
bread and jelly like this. Hold them carefully ! 
Now, goodbye, and joy be with you." 

But it was with rather rueful faces that Harry 
and Laura left the room, wishing they might have 
remained another hour to talk nonsense with uncle 
David, and dreading to think what new scrapes and 
difficulties they would get into in the nursery, 
which always seemed to them a place of torture 
and imprisonment. 

Major Graham used to say that Mrs Crabtrec 
should always have a thermometer in her own room 
when she dressed, to tell her whether the weather 
was hot or cold, for she seemed to feel no difference, 
and scarcely ever made any change in her own at- 
tire, wearing always the same pink gown and scar- 
let shawl, which made her look like a large red 
flower-pot, while she was no more annoyed with 
the heat than a flower-pot would have been. On 
this oppressive morning she took as much pains 
in suffocating Harry with a silk handkerchief round 
nis neck, as if it had been Christmas ; and though 
Laura begged hard for leave to go without one of 
her half-a-dozen wrappings, she might as well have 
asked permission to go without her head, as Mrs 
Crabtree seemed perfectly deaf upon the subject 

"This day is so very cold, and so very ehivep- 



THE LONG LADDER. 125 

ing, said Harry, slyly, "that I suppose you -will 
make Laura wear at least fifty shawls." 

"Not above twenty," answered Mrs Crabtree, 
dryly. " Give me no more of your nonsense, Mas- 
ter Harry ! This is no business of yours ! I was 
in the world long before you were born, and must 
know best ; so hold your tongue. None but fools 
and beggars need ever be cold." 

At last Mrs Crabtree had heaped as many clothes 
upon her two little victims as she was pleased to 
think necessary ; so she sallied forth with them, 
followed by Betty, and proceeded towards the coun- 
try, taking the sunny side of the road, and raising 
clouds of dust at every step, till Harry and Laura 
felt as if they had been made of wax, and were 
melting away. 

"Mrs Crabtree!" said Harry, "did you hear 
uncle David's funny story yesterday ? One hot 
morning a gentleman was watching an ant's nest, 
when he observed, that every little insect, as it came 
out, plucked a small leaf, to hold over its head, as 
a parasol ! I wish we could find leaves large enough 
for us." 

"You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where 
one leaf of a palm-tree was shewn to grandmama, 
which measured fourteen feet long,"observed Laura. 
c How horrid these very warm countries must be, 
when the heat is all the year like this!" 



12G THE LONG LADDER. 

"Yoi, may well sr.} that," answered Mrs Crab- 
tree. " I would not go to them East Indies — no ! 
not if I were Governess-General, — to be running 
away with a tiger at your back, and sleeping with 
real live serpents twisted round the bed-post, and 
scorpions under your pillow. Catch me there! 
I'm often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think 
that his ship is maybe going that way ! I'm told 
the very rats have such a smell in that outlandish 
place, that if they touch the outside of a bottle 
with their tails, it tastes of musk ever after ; and 
when people are sitting comfortably down, expect- 
ing to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants 
will come, and fall an inch thick, on all the side- 
dishes. I've no desire whatever to see foreign 
parts!" 

"But I wish to see every country in the uni- 
verse," said Harry; "and I hope there will be a 
railroad all round the world before I am grown up. 
Only think, Mrs Crabtree, what fun lion-hunting 
must be, and catching dolphins, and riding on ele- 
phants." 

The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty 
village of Corstorphine, when they were unexpect- 
edly met by Peter Grey, who joined them without 
waiting to ask leave. Here the hills are so beauti- 
fully wooded, and the villas so charming, that 
Harry, Peter, and Laura ^topped a moment, to 



THE LONG LADDER. 127 

consider what house they would like best to live 
in. Near one side of the road stood a large cart 
of hay, on the top of which Avere several men, fork- 
ing it in at the window of a high loft, which could 
only be entered by a long ladder that leaned against 
the wall. It was a busy, joyous scene, and soon 
attracted the children's whole attention, who were 
transfixed with delight, seeing how rapidly the 
people ran up and down, with their pitchforks in 
their hands, and tilted the hay from the cart into 
the loft, while they had many jokes and much 
laughter among themselves. At last their whole 
business was finished, and the workmen drove away 
for another supply, to the neighbouring fields, 
where they had been raking and tossing it all morn- 
ing, as merry as crickets. 

" What happy people ! " exclaimed Harry, look- 
ing wistfully after the party, and wishing he might 
hare scrambled into the cart beside them. "I 
would be a haymaker for nothing, if anybody would 
employ me ; would not you, Peter \ " 

"It is very strange," said Master Grey, "why 
little ladies and gentlemen seem always obliged to 
endure a perfectly useless walk every day, as you 
and Laura are doing now. You never saw ani- 
mals set out to take a stroll for the good of their 
healths ! How odd it would be to see a couple 
of dogs set off for a country walk 1" 



128 THE LONG LADDER. 

" Miss Laura !" said Mrs Crabtrce, " Master 
Harry may rest here for a minute or two with 
Master Peter, and let them count their fingers, 
while you come with Betty and me to visit a sick 
old aunt of mine Avho lives round the corner ; but 
be sure, boys, you do not presume to wander about, 
or I shall punish you most severely We are com- 
ing back in two minutes." 

Mrs Crabtrce had scarcely disappeared into a 
small shabby-looking cottage, before Peter turned 
eagerly to Harry, with a face of great joy and 
importance, exclaiming, " Only see how very lucky 
this is ! The haymakers have left their long lad- 
der standing on purpose for us ! The window of 
that loft is wide open, and I must climb up im- 
mediately to peep in, because never in all my life, 
did I see the inside of a hay-loft before !" 

" Nor I," added Harry " Uncle David says, 
that all round the floor there are deep holes, cal- 
led mangers, down which food is thrown for the 
horses, so that they can thrust their heads in, to 
take a bite, whenever they choose." 

" How I should hate to have my dinner hung 
up always before my nose in that way ! Suppose 
the kitchen were placed above your nursery, and 
tli at Mrs Marmalade showered down tarts and 
puddings, which were to remain there till you cat 



THE LONG LADDER. 129 

them, you would hate the sight of such things at 
laBt. But now, Harry, for the hay-loft." 

Peter scrambled so rapidly up the ladder that 
he soon reached tne top, and instantly vanished 
in at the window, calling eagerly for Harry to 
follow. " You never saw such a nice, clean, fun- 
ny place as this, in all your life ! — make haste ! — 
come faster ! — never mind crushing your hat or 
tearing your jacket, — I'll put it all to rights. Ah ! 
there ! — that's the thing ! — walk up, gentlemen ! 
walk up ! — the grand show ! — sixpence each, and 
children half price !" 

All this time, Harry was slowly, and with great 
difficulty, picking his steps up the ladder, but a 
most troublesome business it was ! First, his 
foot became entangled in a rope, — then his hat 
got squeezed so out of shape, it looked perfectly 
tipsy, — next, one of his shoes nearly came off, — 
and afterwards he dropped his gloves ; but at last 
he stumbled up in safety, and stood beside Peter 
in the loft, both laughing with delight at their 
own enterprise. 

The quantity of hay piled up on all sides, as- 
tonished them greatly, while the nice, wide floor 
between seemed larger than any drawing-room, 
and was certainly made on purpose for a romp. 
Harry rolled up a large ball of bay to throw at 
Peter, while he, in return, aimed at him ; so they 



130 THE LONG LADDER. 

ran after each other, round and round the loft, 
raising such a riot, that " the very rafters dirled." 

The hay now flew about in clouds, while they 
jumped over it, or crept under it, throwing hand- 
fuls about in every direction, and observing that 
this was the best play-room they had ever been in. 

" How lucky that we came here !" cried Peter. 
" I should like to stay an hour at least !" 

" Oh ! two hours, — or three, — or all day," add- 
ed Harry. " But what shall we do about Mrs 
Crabtree \ She has not gone to settle for life with 
that old sick aunt, so I am afraid we must be 
really hurrying back, in case she may find out our 
expedition, and that, you know, Peter, would bo 
dreadful !" 

" Only fancy, Harry, if she sees you and me 
clinging to the ladder, about half way down ! what 
a way she would be in !" 

" We had better make haste," said Harry, look- 
ing around. " What would grandmama say 1 — I 
wish we had never come up !" 

At this moment Harry was still more brought 
to his senses, by hearing Mrs Crabtree's voice, ex- 
claiming in loud angry accents, " Where in all the 
world can those troublesome boys be gone ! I mast 
tether them to a tree the next time they are left 
together 1 Why, sure ! they would not vonturo 
up that long ladder into the hay-loft! If they 



THE LONG LADDER. 131 

have, they had better never coine down again ; for 
I shall shew who is master here." 

" Peter Grey would run up a ladder to the stars, 
if he could find one," replied Betty. " Here are 
Master Harry's gloves lying at the bottom of it. 
They can be gone nowhere else, for I have searched 
every other place. We must send the town-crier 
with his bell after them, if they are not found up 
there !" 

Mrs Crabtree now seemed fearfully angry, while 
Laura began to tremble with fright for Harry, 
who was listening overhead, and did not know very 
well what to do, but foolishly thought it beet to 
put off the evil hour of being punished as long as 
possible ; so he and Peter silently crept in below 
a great quantity of hay, and hid themselves so cun- 
ningly, that even a thief-catcher could scarcely 
have discovered their den. In this dark corner, 
Harry had time to reflect and to feel more and 
more alarmed and sorry for his misconduct ; so 
he said in a very distressed voice, " Oh Peter 1 
what a pity it is ever to be naughty, for we are 
always found out, and are always so much hap- 
pier when we are good !" 

" I wonder how Mrs Crabtree will get up the 
long ladder !" whispered Peter, laughing. " I 
would give my little finger, and one of my ears, 
to see her and Betty scrambling along 1" 



182 THE 1. 0X0 LADDER. 

Harry had to pinch Peter's arm almost black 
and hlue before he would be quiet ; and by the 
time he stopped talking, Mrs Crabtree and Betty 
■were both standing in the hay-loft, exceedingly 
out of breath with climbing so unusually hisrb. 
while Mrs Crabtree very nearly fell, having stum- 
bled over a step at the entrance. 

"Why, sure ! there's nobody here !" exclaimed 
she, in a disappointed tone. " And what a dis- 
orderly place this is ! I thought a hay-loft was 
always kept in such nice order, with the floor all 
swept ! but here is a fine mess ! Those two great 
himps of hay in the corner look as if they were 
meant for people to sleep upon !" 

Harry gave himself up for lost when Mrs Crab- 
tree noticed the place where he and Peter had 
buried themselves alive ; but to his great relief, 
no suspicion seemed to have been excited, and nei- 
ther of the two searchers was anxious to venture 
beyond the door, after having so nearly tripped 
upon the threshold. 

" They must have been stolen by a gipsy, or 
perhaps fallen into a well," said Betty, who ra- 
ther liked the bustle of an accident. " I always 
thought Master Peter wouid break his neck, or 
something of that kind. Poor thing ! how dis- 
tressed his papa will be ! " 

" Hold your tongue," interrupted Mrs Crab- 



THE LONG LADDER. 13U 

tree, angrily. "I wish people would cither speak 
sense, or not speak at all ! Did you hear a noise 
among the hay \ " 

" Hats, I daresay! or perhaps a dog!" an- 
swered Betty, turning hastily round and hurry- 
ing down the lad Jsr faster than she had come up. 
"• I certainly thought something moved in yon far 
torncr." 

" Where can that little shrimp of a boy be 
hid ? " added Mrs Crabtree, following. " He must 
have obedience knocked like a nail into his head, 
with a few good cevere blows. I shall beat him 
to powder when once we catch him." 

" You may depend upon it," persisted Betty, 
" that some gipsy has got the boys for the sake 
af their clothes. It will be a great pity, because 
Master Harry had on his best blue jacket and 
trousers." 

1\ o sooner was the loft cleared of these unwel- 
come visitors, than Harry and Peter began to re- 
cover from their panic, and jumped out of the 
hay, shaking themselves free from it, and skip- 
ping about in greater glee than ever. 

While they played about as they had done be- 
fore, and tumbled as if they had been tumblers 
at Ducrow's, poor Harry got into such spirits, 
that he completely forgot about the deep holes 

called mangers, for containing the horses' food, 

10 



134 THE LONG LADDER. 

till all at once, when Peter was running after him, 
he fell, with a loud crash, headlong into one of 
them ! Oh ! Avhat a scream he gave ! — it echoed 
through the stable, terrifying a whole team of 
horses that Avere feeding there, more particular- 
ly Snowball, into whose manger he had fallen. 
The horse gave a tremendous start when Harry 
plunged down close to his nose, and not being 
able to run away, he put back his ears, opened 
his mouth, and kicked and struggled in the most 
frightful manner ; while Harry, who could not 
make his escape any more than the horse, shout- 
ed louder and louder for help. 

Peter did all he could to assist Harry in this 
extraordinary predicament, but finding it impos- 
sible to be of any use, he forgot their terror of 
Mrs Crabtree in his fears about Harry, and rushed 
to the window, calling back their two pursuers, 
who were walking away r„t a great distance. He 
screamed and hallooed, and waved his handkerchief, 
without ceasing, till at last Mrs Crabtree heard 
him, and turned round ; but never was anybody 
more astonished than she on seeing him there, so 
she scolded, stormed, and raged, back to the very 
foot of the ladder. 

" Now, you are the besiegers, and I am tho 
garrison ! " cried Peter, when he saw Mrs Crab- 
tree panting and toiling iu her ascent. " We must 



THE LONG LADDER. 135 

make a treaty of peace together, for I could tum- 
ble you over in a minute, by merely pushing this 
end a very little more to one side !" 

" Do not touch it, Master Peter ! " cried Mrs 
Crabtree, almost afraid he was in earnest. " There 
is a good boy,— be quiet ! " 

" A good boy ! !" whispered Peter to himself. 
" What a fright Mrs Crabtree must be in, before 
she said that !" 

The next moment Mrs Crabtree snatched Harry 
out of the manger, and shook him with rage. She 
then scolded and beat him, till he was perfectly 
stupificd with fright and misery, after which, the 
A'hole party proceeded towards home, while Harry 
stumbled along the road, and hung down his head, 
wishing, fifty times over, that he and Peter Grey 
had never gone up 



"the long laddee," 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE MAD BDLTi. 



Thoro's something in a noble boy, 
A brave, free-hearted, careless one- 
With his uncheck'd, unbidden joy, 
His dread of books, and love of fun 
And in his clear and ready smile, 
Unshaded by a thought of guile, 
And unrepress'd by sadness, — 
Which brings me to my childhoo3 bach, 
As if I trod its very track, 
And felt its very gladness. 

Willis. 

One evening when Harry and Laura came down to 
dessert, they were surprised to observe the two 
little plates usually intended for them, turned up- 
side down, while uncle David pretended not to no- 
tice anything, though he stole a glance to sec what 
would happen next. On lifting up these myste- 
rious plates, what did Khcy sec lying underneath, 



THE MAD BULL. 137 

but two letters with large red seals, one directed ta 
" Master Harry Graham," and the other to " Miss 
Laura Graham." 

" A letter for me ! !" cried Harry, in a tone of 
delightful astonishment, while he tore open the 
seal, and his hand shook with impatience, so that 
he could hardly unfold the paper. " What can it 
he about ! I like getting a letter very much ! Is 
it from papa ? Did the postman bring it 1 " 

<; Yes he did," said uncle David ; " and he left a 
message that you must pay a hundred pounds for 
it to-morrow " 

" Very likely, indeed," said Laura ; " you should 
pay that for telling me such a fine story ; but my 
letter is worth more than a hundred pounds, for it 
is inviting me to spend another delightful week at 
Holiday House." 

" I am asked too ! and not Mrs Crabtree ! " cried 
Harry, looking at his letter, and almost screaming 
out for joy, whilst he skipped about the room, rub- 
bing his hands together, and ended by twirling 
Laura round and round, till they both fell prostrate 
on the floor. 

" If that be meant as a specimen of how you in- 
tend to behave at Holiday House, we had better 
send your apology at once," observed Lady Har- 
riet, smiling. " Lord Ilockville is very particular 



138 THE MAD BULTj 

about never hearing any noise, and the slamming 
of a door, or even the creaking of a pair of unruly 
shoes, would put him distracted." 

;< Yes !" added uncle David, " Holiday House is 
as quiet as Harry's drum with a hole in it. If a 
pin drops in any part of the mansion, Lord Rock- 
ville becomes annoyed, and the very wasps scarcely 
dare to buzz at his window so loud as at any other 
person's. You will feel quite fish-out-of-water-ish, 
trying to be quiet and humdrum for a whole week ; 
so let mc advise you not to go." 

" The meaning of advice always is something 
that one would rather wish not to do," observed 
Laura, gravely " I never in my life was advised 
to enjoy anything pleasant ! Taking physic — or 
learning lessons — or staying at home, are very 
often advised, but never playing, or having a holi- 
day, or amusing ourselves ! " 

" You know, Laura, that Harry's little Shetland 
pony, Tom Thumb, in my field, is of no use at pre- 
sent, but kicks, and capers, and runs about all day! 
yet presently he will be led out fastened to a rope, 
and made to trot round and round in a circle, day 
after day, till he has no longer a will of his own, 
— that is education. Afterwards he shall have a 
bridle put in his mouth, which some little girls 
would be much the better of also, when he shall bo 
carefully guided ever afterwards in the best ways ; 



THK MAD BULL. 139 

and you likewise will go much more steadily for all 
the reining-in and whipping you have got from Mrs 
Crahtree and me, which may, perhaps, make you 
keep in the road of duty more easily hereafter." 

" Uncle David !" said Harry, laughing, " we have 
read, in the Arabian Nights, about people being 
turned into animals, but I never thought you would 
turn Laura into a horse ! What shall we do with 
my little Shetland pony if I go away next week 1 " 

" I have thought of a capital plan for making 
Tom Thumb useful during the whole winter ! Your 
grandmama wants a Avatch-dog in the country, so 
we shall build him a kennel — put a chain round his 
neck, and get some one to teach him to bark." 

" Uncle David should be Professor of Nonsense 
at the University," said Lady Harriet, smiling. 
" But my dear children, if you are allowed to pay 
this visit at Holiday House, I hope you will endea- 
vour to behave creditably ! " 

" Yes," added Major Graham, " I understand 
that Lord Rockville wished to have some particu- 
larly quiet children there, for a short time, so he 
fixed upon Harry and Laura ! Poor, mistaken Lord 
Rockville ! But my good friends, try not to break 
all his china ornaments the first day — spare a few 
jars and tea cups — leave a pane or two of glass in 
the windows, and throw none of your marbles at 
the mirrors." 



140 THE MAD BULL. 

" I remember hearing'," said Lady Harriet, " that 
when Miss Pclliam was married last year, her old 
aunt, Mrs Bouverie, sent for her, and said, that as 
she could not afford to give baubles or trinkets, she 
would give her a valuable p^cc of advice ; and what 
do you think it was, Laura?" 

<; I have no idea! Do tell me!" 

" Then I shall bestow it on you, as the old lady 
did on her niece—' Be careful of china, paper, and 
string, for they are all very transitory possessions 
in this world!'" 

" Very true! and mostjudicious!" observed Ma- 
jor Graham, laughing. " I certainly know several 
persons who must have served an apprenticeship 
under that good lady : many gentlemen, who de- 
spatch all their epistles from the club, because 
there the paper costs them nothing ; and a num- 
ber of ladies, who, for the same good reason, never 
write letters till they are visiting in a country 
house." 

Having received so many warnings and injunc- 
tions about behaving well, Harry and Laura became 
so quiet during the first few days at Holiday House, 
that they were like shadows flitting through the 
rooms, going almost on tiptoe, scarcely speaking 
above a whisper, and observing that valuable rule 
for children, to let themselves be seen, but not 
heard. Lord Rockvillc was quite charmed with such 



THE MAD BULL. 141 

extreme good conduct, for they were both in espe- 
cial awe of him, and thought it a great condescen- 
sion if he even looked at them, he was so tall, so 
grand, and so grave, wearing a large, powdered wig 
and silver spectacles, which gave him a particular- 
ly venerable appearance, though Harry was one day 
very nearly getting into disgrace upon that sub- 
ject. His Lordship had a habit of always carrying 
two pairs of spectacles in his pocket, and often, 
after thrusting one pair high upon his forehead, he 
forgot where they were, and put others on his nose, 
which had such a droll appearance, that the first 
time Harry saw it, he felt quite taken by surprise, 
and burst into a fit of laughter, upon which Lord 
liockville gave him such a comical look of surprise 
and perplexity, that Harry's fit of laughing got 
worse and worse. The more people know they are 
wrong, and try to stop, the more convulsive it be- 
comes, and the more difficult to look grave again ; 
so at last, after repeated efforts to appear serious 
and composed, Harry started up, and, in his hurry 
to escape, very nearly slammed the door behind 
him, which would have given the last finish to his 
offences. 

Both the little visitors found Lady Rockville so 
extremely indulgent and kind, that she seemed like 
another grandmama; therefore they gradually ven- 
tured to talk some of their own nonsense before 



142 THE MAD BULL. 

her, nnd even to try some of their old ways, and 
frolicsome tricks, which she seldom found any fault 
with, except when Harry one day eloped with Lord 
Rockville's favourite walking-stick, to he used as 
a fishing-rod among the minnows, with a long 
thread at the end for a line, and a crooked pin to 
represent the hook ; while, on the same day, Laura 
privately mounted the ass that gave Lord Rock- 
ville ass's milk, and rode it all round the park, while 
he sat at home expecting his usual refreshing tum- 
bler. Still they both passed muster for being very 
tolerable children ; and his Lordship was heard once 
to say, in a voice of great approbation, that Master 
and Miss Graham were so punctual at dinner, and 
so perfectly quiet, he really often forgot they were 
in the house. Indeed, Harry's complaisance on the 
day after he had laughed so injudiciously about the 
spectacles, was quite unheard of, as he felt anxious 
to make up for his misconduct ; and when Lord 
Rockvillo asked if he would like a fire in the play- 
room, as the evening was chilly, he answered very 
politely, " Thank you, my Lord ! We are ready to 
think it hot or cold just as you please!" 

All this was too good to last! One liioniinir whc.i 
Harry and Laura looked out of the window, it was a 
most deplorably wet day. The whole sky looked like 
a large, grey cotton umbrella, and the clouds were 
bo low that Harry thought he could almost have 



THE MAD BULL. 143 

touched them. In short, as Lord Rockville remark- 
ed, "it rained cats and dogs;" so his Lordship knit- 
ted his brows, and thrust his hands into his waist- 
coat pockets, walking up and down the room in a 
perfect fume of vexation, for he was so accustomed 
to be obeyed, that it seemed rather a hardship when 
even the weather contradicted his wishes. To com- 
plete his vexation, as " single misfortunes never 
come alone," his valet, when carelessly drying the 
Morning Post at a large kitchen fire, had set it in 
flames, so that all the wonderful news it contain- 
ed was reduced to ashes ; therefore Lord Rockville 
might well have given notice, that, for this day at 
least, he had a right to be in extremely bad humour. 

Lady Rockville privately recommended Hnvry 
and Laura to sit quietly down and play at cat's 
cradle, which accordingly they did, and when that 
became no longer endurable, some dominoes were 
produced. Thus the morning wore tediously away 
till about two o'clock, when suddenly the rain stop- 
ped, the sun burst forth with prodigious splendour, 
every leaf in the park glittered, as if it had been 
sprinkled with diamonds, and a hundred birds seem- 
ed singing a chorus of joy, while bees and butter- 
flies fluttered at the windows, and flew away re- 
joicing. 

Harry was the first to observe this delightful 
change, and with an exclamation of delight, he 



144 THE MAD BULL. 

sprung from his scat, pulled Laura from hers, up- 
set the domino-table, and rushed out of the room, 
slamming the door with a report like twenty can- 
nons. Away they both flew to the forest, Laura 
Bwinging her bonnet in her hand, and Harry 
tossing his cap in the air, while Lord Rockvillo 
watched them angrily from the drawing-room win- 
dow, saying, in a tone of extreme displeasure, 
" That boy has a voice that might do for the town- 
crier ! He laughs so loud it is enough to crack 
every glass in the room ! I wish he were con- 
demned to pass a week in those American prisons 
where no one is allowed to speak. In short ho 
would be better anywhere than here ; for I might 
as well live with a hammer and tongs as with the 
two children together. They are more restless 
than the quicksilver figures from China, and I 
wish they were as quiet; but my only comfort is, 
that at any rate they come 'home punctually to 
dinner at five. Nothing is so intolerable as people 
dropping in too late, and disordering the table." 
Meantime the woods at Holiday House rung with 
sounds of mirth and gaiety, while Harry scrambled 
up the trees like a squirrel, and swung upon the 
branches, gathering walnuts and crab-apples for 
Laura, after which they both cut their names upon 
the bark of Lord Rockville's favourite beech, so 
that every person who passed that way must ub- 



THE MAD BULL. 145 

serve the large distinct letters. They were laugh- 
ing and chatting over this exploit, botli talking at 
once, as noisy and happy as possible, and expect- 
ing nothing particular to happen, when, all on a 
sudden, Laura turned pale, and grasped hold of 
Harry's arm, saying, in a low, frightened voice, 

" Hush, Harry ! — hush !— I hear a very strange 
noise. It sounds like some wild beast ! What can 
that be?" 

Harry listened as if he had ten pairs of ears, and 
nearly cracked his eye-balls staring round him, to 
see what could be the matter. A curious, deep, 
growling sound might be heard at some distance, 
while there was the noise of something trampling 
heavily on the ground, and of branches breaking off 
the trees, as if some large creature were forcing his 
way through. Harry and Laura now stood like 
a couple of little statues, not daring to breathe, 
they felt so terrified ! The noise grew louder and 
louder, while it gradually became nearer and nearer, 
till atlength a large, blackbull burst into view, with 
his tail standing high in the air, while he tore up the 
ground with his horns, bellowing as loudly as he 
could roar, and galloping straight towards the 
place where they stood. 

Laura's knees tottered under her, and she in- 
stantly dropped on the ground with terror, feeling 
as if she would die the next minute of fright, while, 



146 THE MAD BULL. 

as for attempting to escape, it never entered her 
head to think that possible. Harry felt quite differ- 
ently ; for lie was a bold boy, not easily scared out of 
his senses, and instantly saw that something must 
be done, or they would both be lost. Many selfish 
people would hare run away alone, without caring 
for the safety of any one but themselves, which was 
not at all the case with Harry, who thought first 
of his poor, frightened companion. "Hollo, Laura! 
are you hiding in a cart-rut ?" he exclaimed, pull- 
ing her hastily off the ground* " The bull will soon 
find you here! Come! come! as fast as possible! 
we must have a race for it yet ! That terrible beast 
can scarcely make his way through the branches, 
they grow so closely ! Perhaps Ave may get on as 
fast as he !" 

All this time, Harry was dragging Laura along, 
and running himself into the thickest part of the 
plantation ; but it was very difficult to make any 
progress, as she had become quite faint and be- 
wildered with fright. 

"Oh, Harry ! " cried she, trembling all over, "you 
must get on alone! I am so Aveak Avith terror, it is 
impossible to run a step farther." 

" Do not Avaste your breath Avith talking," an- 
swered Harry, still pushing on at full speed. " Hoav 
can you suppose I would be so shabby as to make 



THK MAD BULL. 347 

my escape without you? No! no! we must either 
both be caught or both get off!" 

Laura felt so grateful to Harry when he said this, 
that she seemed for a moment almost to forget the 
bull, which was still coming furiously on behind, 
while she now made a desperate exertion to run 
faster than she had been able to do before, clear- 
ing the ground almost as rapidly as Harry could 
have done, though he still held her firmly by the 
hand, to encourage her. 

The trampling noise continued, the breaking of 
branches, and the frightful bellowing of this dread- 
ful animal, when at last Harry caught sight of a 
wooden paling, which he silently pointed out to 
Laura, being quite unable now to speak. Having 
rushed forward to it, with almost frantic haste, 
Harry threw himself over the top, after which he 
helped Laura to squeeze herself underneath, when 
they proceeded rather more leisurely onwards. 

" That fence will puzzle Mr Bull," said Harry, 
triumphantly, yet gasping for breath. " We can 
push through places where his great hoof could 
scarcely be thrust ! I saw him coming along, with 
his heels high in the air, and his head down, like 
an enormous wheelbarrow." 

Scarcely had Harry spoken, before the infuriated 
animal advanced at full gallop towards the fence, 



148 



THE MAD BULL. 



and after running akng the side a little way, he 
suddenly tore up the paling with his horns, as if 
it. had been made of paper, and rushed forward 
more rapidly than ever. 

Harry now began to fear that indeed all was 
over, for his strength had become nearly exhaust- 
ed, when, to his great joy, he espied a large, rough 
stone-wall, not very far off, which was as welcome 
a sight as land to a shipwrecked sailor. 

" Eun for your life, Laura!" he cried, pointing 
it out, to encourage her. " There is safety if w<» 
reach it." 

On they both flew faster than the wind, and 
Harry having scrambled up the wall, like a grass- 
hopper, pulled Laura up beside him, and there 
they both stood at last, encamped quite beyond the 
reach of danger, though the enemy arrived a few 
minutes afterwards, pawing the air, and foaming 
and bellowing with disappointment. 

" Laura!" said Harry, after she had a little re- 
covered from her fright, and was walking slowly 
homewards, while she cast an alarmed glance fre- 
quently behind, thinking she still heard the bull 
in pursuit, " you see, as uncle .David says, what- 
ever danger people are in, it is foolish to be quite 
in despair, but we should rather think what is best 
to do, and do it directly." 

" Yes, Harry! and I shall never forget that you 



THE MAD BULL. 149 

would not forsake mo, but risked your own life, 
like a brave brother, in my defence. I should like 
to do as much for you another time!" 

" Thank you, Laura, as much as if you had ; but 
I hope we shall never be in such a scrape again! 
If Frank were here, he would put us both in mind 
to thank a merciful God for taking so much care 
of us, and bringing us safely home!" 

" Yes, Harry ! It is perhaps a good thing being 
in danger sometimes, to remind us that we cannot 
be safe or happy an hour without God's care ; so in 
our prayers to-night we must remember what has 
happened, and return thanks very particularly." 

It was long past five before Harry and Laura 
reached Holiday House, where Lord Ilockville met 
them at the drawing-room door, looking taller, and 
grander, and graver than ever, while Lady Rock- 
ville rose from her sofa, and came up to them, say- 
ing, in a tone of gentle reproach, " My dear chil- 
dren ! you ought to return home before the dinner 
hour, and not keep his Lordship waiting!" 

The very idea of Lord Hockville waiting dinner 
was too dreadful ever to have entered their heads 
till this minute ; but Harry and Laura immediately 
explained how exceedingly sorry they were for 
what had occurred, and to shew that it was their 
misfortune rather than their fault, they told the 
whole frightful story of the mud bull, to which 

U 



150 THE MAD 13 I'LL. 

Lady Rockvillo listened, as if lier very wig was 
standing upon end, to hear of such doings, she 
even turned up her eyes with astonishment to 
think of what a wonderful escape they had made 
hut his Lordship frowned through his spectacles, 
and leaned his chin upon his stick, looking, as 
Harry thought, very like a bear upon a pole. 

'•'Pshaw! — nonsense!" exclaimed Lord Rock- 
ville, impatiently "The hull would have done you 
no harm! He is a most respectable, quiet, well- 
disposed animal, and brought an excellent cha- 
racter from his last place! I never heard a com- 
plaint of him before!" 

"It is curious," observed Laura, "that all bulls 
are reckoned perfectly peaceable and tame, till they 
have tossed two or three people, and killed them ! " 

"I thought," added Lord Rockville, looking 
very grand and contemptuous, "that Harry was 
grown more a man than to be so easily put to 
flight. When a bull, another time, threatens to 
toss you, my boy, seize hold of his tail, — or toss 
him! — or, in short, do anything rather than run 
away the first time an animal looks at you. This 
i3 a mere cock-and-a-bull story, to excuse your 
keeping me waiting almost a quarter of an hour 
for dinner! — you should be made a guard of a mail- 
coach for a month, to teach ) ou punctuality, Master 
Graham." 



THE MAD BULL. 151 

Lord Rockville gravely looked at his watch, while 
Harry luckily considered how often his grandmama 
had recommended him to make no answer when 
he was scolded ; so he nearly bit off the tip of his 
tongue to keep it quiet, while he could not but wish, 
in his own mind, that my Lord himself had seen 
how very fierce the bull looked. 

Laura felt more vexed on Harry's account than 
her own, and the dinner went on as uncomfortably 
as possible ; for even if a French cook has dressed 
it, if ill-humour be the sauce, any dish becomes un- 
palatable. Nothing was to be seen reflected on the 
surface of many fine silver covers, but very cross, 
or very melancholy faces ; while Lady Rockville 
tried to make her own countenance look both cheer- 
ful and good-natured. She told Harry and Laura, 
to divert them, that old Mrs Bouverie had once 
been pursued by a furious milch-cow, along a lane 
flanked on both sides by such very high walls that 
escape seemed impossible, so the good lady, who 
was fat and breathless, became so desperate, that 
without a hope of getting off, she seized the en- 
raged animal by ihe horns, ana screamed in its 
face, till the cow herself became frightened. The 
creature stared, stepping backwards and back- 
wards, with increasing alarm, till at last, to the 
old lady's great relief and surprise, she fairly 
turned tail and ran off. 



152 TUB MAD BULL. 

Ill the evening, Lord Rockville, not having yet 
recovered his equanimity, went out, rather in bad 
humour, to take his usual walk before supper. 
Without once remembering about Harry and the 
bull, he strolled a great way into the woods, mark- 
ing several trees to be cut down, and admiring a 
fine forest which he planted himself long ago, but 
without particularly considering which way he 
turned. It was beginning, at last, to grow very 
dark and gloomy, so Lord Rockville had some 
thoughts of returning home, when he became sud- 
denly startled by hearing a loud roar not far off, 
and a moment afterwards the furious bull dashed 
out of a neighbouring thicket, raging and foam- 
ing, and tearing the ground with his horns, exactly 
as Harry had described in the morning, while poor 
Lord Rockville, who seldom moved faster than a 
very dignified walk, instantly quickened his pace, 
in an opposite direction, striding away faster and 
faster, till at last, — it must be confessed, — his 
Lordship ended by running! ! ! 

In spite of all Lord Rockville's exertions, the 
bull continued rapidly to gain upon him, for his 
Lordship, being rather corpulent and easily fa- 
tigued, stopped every now and then to gasp for 
breath ; till at last, feeling it impossible to get on 
faster, though the stables were now within sight, 
ho seized the branch of a lav;;' oak tree \vhieh swept 



THE MAD J5ULL. 153 

nearly to the ground, and contrived with great diffi- 
culty to scramble out of reach. 

The enraged bull gazed up into the tree and bel- 
lowed with fury, when he saw Lord Eockville so 
judiciously perched overhead, and he remained for 
half-an-hour, watching to see if his Lordship 
would venture down again. At last the torment- 
ing animal began leisurely eating grass under the 
tree, but gradually he moved away, turning his 
back while he fed, till Lord Eockville vainly de- 
luded himself with the hope of stealing off unob- 
served. Being somewhat rested and refreshed, 
while the enemy was looking in another direction, 
he descended cautiously, as if he had been going to 
tread upon needles and pins ; but, unaccustomed 
to such movements, he jumped so heavily upon 
the ground, that the bull, hearing a noise, turned 
round, and set up a loud, furious roar, when he 
saw his intended victim again within reach. 

N"o\v the race began once more with redoubled 
agility ! The odds seemed greatly in favour of the 
bull, and Lord Eockville thought he already felt the 
animal's horns in his side, when a groom, who saw 
the party approaching, instantly seized a pitchfork, 
and flew to the rescue of his master. Lord Eock- 
ville never stopped his career till he reached th( 
stable, and ran up into a loft, from the window ot 
which he gave the alarm, and called for more assist- 



154 THE MAD BULL. 

ance, when several ploughmen and stable-boys as- 
sembled, who drove the animal, with great difficulty, 
into a stall, where he continued so ungovernable, 
that iron chains were put round his neck, and some 
days afterwards, seeing no one could manage him, 
Lord Eockville ordered the bull to be shot, and 
his carcass turned into beef for the poor of the pa- 
rish, who all, consequently, rejoiced at his demise ; 
though the meat turned out so tough, that it re- 
quired their best teeth to eat it with. 

Meantime, on that memorable evening of so 
many adventures, Harry, Laura, and Lady Eock- 
ville, wondered often what had become of his Lord- 
ship ; and, at last, when supper appeared at the 
usual hour, his absence became still more unac- 
countable ! 

"What can be the matter 1" exclaimed Lady 
Eockville, anxiously. " This is very odd ! His 
Lordship is as punctual as the postman in gene- 
ral ! especially for supper; and here is Lord Eock- 
ville's favourite dish of sago and wine, which will 
become uneatably cold in ten minutes, if he docs 
not return home to enjoy it !" 

Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the 
door opened, and Lord Eockville walked majes- 
tically into the room. There was something so dif- 
ferent from usual in his manner and appearance; 
however, that Harry and Laura exchanged looks 



THE MAD BULL. 155 

of astonishment; his neckcloth was loose — his face 
excessively red — and his hand shook, while he 
breathed so hard, that he might have been heard 
at the porter's lodge. Lady Eockville gazed with 
amazement at all she saw, and then asked what he 
chose for supper ; but when Lord Eockville tried 
to speak, the words died on his lips, so he could 
only point in silence to the sago and wine. 

"What, in all theworld, has happened to you this 
evening, my Lord ? " exclaimed Lady Eockville, 
unable to restrain her curiosity a moment longer. 
"I never saw you in such a way before! Your eyes 
are perfectly blood-shot — your dress strangely dis- 
ordered — and you seem so hot and so fatigued ? 
Tell me ! — what is the matter ? " 

" Nothing," answered Lord Eockville, drawing 
himself up, while he tried to look grander and 
graver than ever, though his Lordship could not 
help panting for breath — putting his hands to his 
sides— and wiping hio forehead with his pocket- 
handkerchief in an agony of fatigue. Harry ob- 
served all this for some time, as eagerly and intently 
as a cat watches a bird on a tree. He saw that 
something extraordinary had occurred, and he be- 
gan 10 have hopes that it really was the very thing 
he wished ; because, seeing Lord Eockville now 
perfectly safe, he would not have grudged him a 
pretty considerable fright from his friend the bull, 



156 Tin: mad hull. 

At last, unable any longer tocontrol his impatience, 
Harry started off his chair, gazing so earnestly at 
Lord Eockville, that his eyes almost sprung out 
of their sockets, while he rubbed his hands with 
(Vjstacy, saying, 

" I guess you've seen the bull 1 Oh ! I am sure 
you did ! Pray tell us if you have ! Did he run 
after you, — and did you run away \ " 

Lord Eockville tried more than he had ever 
done in his life to look grave, but it would not do. 
Gradually his face relaxed into a smile, till at last 
he burst into loud peals of laughter, joined most 
heartily by Harry, Laura, and Lady Eockville. Xo- 
body recovered any gravity during the rest of that 
evening, for whenever they tried to think or talk 
quietly about anything else, Harry and Laura were 
sure to burst forth again upon the subject, and even 
after being safely stowed in their beds for the night, 
they both laughed themselves to sleep at the idea 
of Lord Eockville himself having been obliged, 
after all, to run away from that " most respectable, 
quiet, weii-disposed animal, 

"THE MAD BUM, 1" 



CKATTKft VIII. 



THE BROKEN KEV 

First he moved his right leg, 
Then he moved his left leg, 
Then he said, " I pardon beg," 

And sat upon his seat. 

" Oil ! uncle David ! uncle David ! " cried Laura, 
when tliey arrived from Holiday House, " I would 
jump out of the oarriage-window with joy to see 
you again, only the persons passing in the street 
might he surprised !." 

" Not at all ! They are quite accustomed to 
see people jumping out of the windows Avith joy, 
whenever L appear." 

" We have so much to tell you," exclaimed Harry 
and Laura, each seizing hold of a hand, " wo hard- 
ly know where to begin !" 

" Ladies and gentlemen ! If you both talk at 
once, I must get a new pair of ears ! So you 
have not been particularly miserable at Holiday 
House ?" 



158 THE BROKEN KEY 

" No ! no ! uncle David ! we did not think 
there had been so much happiness in the world," 
answered Laura, eagerly. The last two days we 
could do nothing hut play, and laugh, and" 

"And grow fat ! Why ! you both look so well 
fed, you are just fit for killing ! I shall be obliged 
to shut you up two or three days, without any- 
thing to eat, as is done to pet lap-dogs, when they 
are getting corpulent and gouty." 

" Then we shall be like bears living on our 
paws," replied Harry; " and uncle David ! I would 
rather do that than be a glutton like Peter Grey. 
He went to a cheap shop lately, where old cheese- 
cakes were sold at half-price, and greedily de- 
voured nearly a dozen, thinking that the dead flies 
scattered on the top were currants, till Frank 
shewed him his mistake !" 

" Frank should have let him eat in peace i 
There is no accounting for tastes. I once knew a 
lady who liked to swallow spiders ! She used to 
crack and eat them with the greatest delight, wncn- 
evcr she could catch one. ,J 

" Oh ! what a horrid woman ! That is even 
worse than grandmania's story aDOut Dr Manvers 
having dined on a dish of mice, fried in crumbs 
of bread ! " 

" You know the old proverb, Harry, ' One man's 
meat is another man's poison.' The Persians are 



THE BROKEN KEY. 159 

disgusted at our eating lobsters ; and the Hin- 
doos think us scarcely fit to exist, because we live 
on beef ; while we are equally amazed at the Chi- 
nese, for devouring dog-pies, and bird's nest soup. 
You turn up your nose at the French for liking 
frogs ; and they think us ten times worse, with 
our singed sheep's head, oat cakes, and haggis." 

" That reminds me," said Lady Harriet, " that 
when Charles X. lived in what he called the ' dear 
Canongate,' his majesty was heard to say, that 
he tried every sort of Scotch goose, ' the solan 
goose, the wild goose, and the tame goose, but 
the best goose of all was the hag-goose.'" 

"Very polite, indeed, to adopt our national taste 
so completely," observed uncle David, smiling. 
" When my regiment was quartered in Spain, an 
officer of ours, a great epicure, and not quite so 
complaisant, used to say that the country was 
scarcely fit to live in, because there it is custo- 
mary to dress almost every dish with sugar. At 
last, one day in a rage, he ordered eggs to be 
brought up in their shells for dinner, saying ' That 
is the only thing the cook cannot possibly spoil.' 
We played him a trick, however, which was very 
like what you would have done, Harry, on a simi- 
lar occasion. I secretly put pounded sugar into 
the salt-cellar, and when he tasted his first mouth- 
ful, you should have seen the look of fury with 



160 THE BKOKHN KEV 

which lie sprung off his scat, exclaiming, ' The Lar- 
barians eat sugar even with their eggs !'" 

" That would be the country for me to travel in," 
said Harry. " I could live in a barrel of siiirar ; 
and my little pony, Tom Thumb, would be happy 
to accompany me there, as he likes anything 
sweet." 

"All animals are of the same opinion. I remem- 
ber the famous rider, Ducrow, telling a brother- 
officer of mine, that the way in which he gains so 
much influence over his horses, is merely by brib- 
ing them with sugar. They may bo managed hi 
that M-ay like children, and are quite aware if it 
be taken from them as a punishment for being 
restive." 

" Oh ! those beautiful horses at Ducrow's! How 
often I think of them since we were there !" ex- 
claimed Harry. " They are quite like fairies, with 
fine arched necks and long tails !" 

" I never heard before of a fairy with a long 
tail, Master Harry ; but perhaps in the course of 
your travels you may have seen such a thing." 

" How I should like to ride upon Tom Thumb 
in Ducrow's way, with my toe on the saddle!" 

"Fine doings, indeed !" exclaimed Mrs Crab- 
tree, who had entered the room at this moment. 
" Have you forgotten already, Master Harry, how 
many of the nursery plates you broke one day I 



THE BROKEN KEY. 161 

was out, in trying to copy that there foolish Indian 
juggler, who tossed his plates in the air, and 
twirled them on hia thumb ! There must be no 
more such nonsense; for if once your neck is 
broke by a fall off Tom Thumb, no doctor that 
I know of can mend it again. Remember what a 
terrible tumble you had off Jessy last year !" 

" You are always speaking about that little over- 
turn, Mrs Crabtree ; and it was not worth recol- 
lecting above a week ! Did you never see a man 
thrown off his horse before V 

"A man and horse, indeed !" said uncle David, 
laughing when he looked at Harry. " You and 
your charger were hardly large enough then for a 
toy- shop ; and you must grow a little more, Cap- 
tain Gulliver, before you will be fit for a dragoon 
regiment." 

Harry and Laura stayed 'very quietly at home 
for several weeks after their return from Holiday 
House, attending so busily to lessons, that uncle 
David said he felt much afraid they were going 
to be a pair of little wonders, who would die of 
too much learning. 

" You will be taken ill of the multiplication table 
some day, and confined to bed with a violent fit 
of geography ! Pray take care of yourselves, and 
do not devour above three books at once," said 
Major Graham, one <hiy, entering the room with a 



162 THE BHOKEtf KEY. 

note ill his hand. " Here is an invitation that I 
suppose you are both too busy to accept, so perhaps 
I might as well send an apology ; eh, Harry ?" 

Down dropped the lesson-books upon the floor, 
and up sprung Harry in an ecstacy of delight 
' An invitation ! Oh ! I like an invitation so very 
much 1 Pray tell us all about it ! " 

"Perhaps it is an invitation to spend a month 
with Dr Lexicon. What would you say to that 1 
They breakfast upon Latin grammars at school, 
and have a dish of real French verbs, smothered 
in onions, for dinner every day." 

" But in downright earnest, uncle David ! where 
are Ave going X " 

" Must I tell you ! Well ! that good-natured 
old lady, Mrs Darwin, intends taking a large party 
of children next week, in her own carriage, to pass 
ten days at Ivy Lodge, a charming country house 
about twenty miles off, where you are all to enjoy 
perfect happiness. I wish I could be ground down 
into a little boy myself, for the occasion ! Poor, 
good woman ! what a life she will lead ! There is 
only one little drawback to your delight, that I am 
almost afraid to announce." 

"What is that, uncle David?" asked Harry, 
looking as if nothing in nature could ever make 
him grave again. " Are we to bite ofF our own 
"oses before we return 1 " 



THE BROKEN KEY. 163 

" Not exactly ; but somebody is to be of the 
party who will do it for you. Mrs Darwin has 
heard that there are certain children who become 
occasionally rather unmanageable ! I cannot think 
who they can be, for it is certainly nobody we ever 
saw ; so she has requested that Mrs Crabtree will 
follow in the mail-coach." 

Harry and Laura looked as if a glass of cold 
water had been thrown in their faces, after this 
was mentioned ; but they soon forgot every little 
vexation, in a burst of joy, when, some days after- 
wards, Mrs Darwin stopped at the door to pick 
them up, in the most curious-looking carriage they 
had ever seen. It was a very large open car, as 
round as a bird's nest, and so perfectly crowded 
vith children, that nobody could have supposed 
any room left even for a doll ; but Mrs Darwin 
said that whatever number of people came in, there 
was always accommodation for one more ; and 
this really proved to be the case, for Harry and 
Laura soon elbowed their way into seats, and set 
off, waving their handkerchiefs to Major Graham, 
who had helped to pack them in, and who now 
stood smiling at the door. 

As this very large vehicle was drawn by only 
one horse, it proceeded very sloAvly ; but Mrs Dar- 
win amused the children Avith several very divest- 
ing stories, and gave them a grand luncheon in 



1G1 THE BROKEN KEY. 

the carriage; after which, they threw what was 
left, wrapped up in an old newspaper, to some 
people breaking stones on the road, feeling quite 
delighted to see the surprise and joy of the poor 
labourers when they opened the parcel. In short, 
everybody became sorry when this diverting jour- 
ney was finished, and they drove up, at last, to 
the gate of a tall, old house, that locked as if it 
had been built in the year one. The Avails were 
very thick, and quite mouldy with age. Indeed, 
the only wonder was, that Ivy Lodge had still a 
roof upon its head, for everything about it looked 
so tottering and decayed. The very servants were 
ail old; and a white-headed butler opened the door, 
who looked as frail and gloomy as the house ; but 
before long, the old walls of Ivy Lodge rung and 
echoed again with sounds of mirth and joy. It 
seemed to have been built on purpose for hide-and- 
seek ; there were rooms with invisible doors, and 
closets cut in the walls, and great old chests, where 
people might have been buried alive for a year 
without being found out. The gardens, too, were 
perfectly enchanting. Such arbours to take straw- 
berries and cream in ! and such summer-houses, 
where they drank tea out of doors every evening ! 
Here they saw a prodigious eagle fastened to the 
ground by a chain, and looking the most dull, 
melancholy creature in the world: while ITarrv 



THE BliOKEN KEY 165 

wished the poor bird might bo liberated, and 
thought how delightful it would be to stand bv and 
see him soaring away to his native skies. 

' ; Yes! with a large slice of raw meat in hisbcak!" 
said Peter Grey, who was always thinking of eat- 
ing. " I daresay he lives much better here, than 
he would do killing his own mutton up in the 
clouds there, or taking his chance of a dead horse 
on the sea-shore occasionally." 

Harry and Peter were particularly amused with 
Mrs Darwin's curious collection of pets. There 
were black swans with red bills swimming grace- 
fully in a pond close to the window, and ready to 
rush forward on the shortest notice for a morsel 
of bread. The lop-eared rabbits also surprised 
them, with their cars hanging down to the ground ; 
and they were interested to see a pair of carrier- 
pigeons which could carry letters as well as the post- 
man. Mrs Darwin shewed them tumbler-pigeons, 
too, that performed a summersault in the air when 
they flew, and horsemen and dragoon pigeons, 
trumpeters and pouters, till Peter Grey at last 
begged to see the pigeons that made the pigeon- 
pics, and the cow that gave the butter-milk ; he 
was likewise very anxious for leave to bring his 
fishing-rod into the drawing-room, to try whether 
he could catch one of the beautiful gold-fish that 
gwam about in a large glass-globe, saying lie 



166 THE BROKEN KEY. 

thought it might perhaps he a very good red her- 
rino 1 to cat at breakfast. Mrs Darwin had a pet 
Iamb that she was exceedingly proud of, because 
it followed her everywhere, and Harry, who was 
very fond of the little creature, said he wished some 
plan could be invented to hinder its ever growing 
into a great, fat, vulgar sheep ; and he thought the 
white mice were old animals that had grown grey 
with years. 

There were donkeys for the children to ride up- 
on, and Mrs Darwin had a boat that held the whole 
party, to sail in, round the pond; and she hung up 
a swing that seemed to fly about as high as the 
house, which they swung upon ; after which they 
were allowed to shake the fruit-trees, and to eat 
whatever came down about their ears ; so it very 
often rained apples and pears in the gardens at 
Ivy Lodge, for Peter seemed never to tire of that 
joke ; indeed the apple-trees had a sad life of it 
as long as he remained. 

Peter told Mrs Darwin that he had " a patent 
appetite," which was always ready on every occa- 
sion ; but the good lady became so fond of stuffing 
the children at all hours, that even he felt a little 
puzzled sometimes how to dispose of all she heap- 
ed upon his plate, Avhile both Harry and Laura, who 
were far from greedy, became perfectly wearied of 
Lcaring the gong. The whole party assembled at 



THE BROKEN KEY. 167 

eight every morning, to partake of porridge and 
butter-milk, after which, at ten, tliey breakfasted 
with Mrs Darwin, on tea, muffins, and sweetmeats. 
They then drove in the round open car, to bathe 
in the sea, on their return from which, luncheon 
was always ready ; and after concluding that, they 
might pass the interval till dinner among the fruit- 
trees. They never could eat enough to please Mrs 
Darwin at dinner; tea followed, on a most substan- 
tial plan ; their supper consisted of poached eggs, 
and the maid was desired to put a biscuit under 
every visitor's pillow, in case the young people 
should be hungry in the night ; for Mrs Darwin 
said she had been starved at school herself when 
she was a little girl, and wished nobody ever to 
suffer as she had done, from hunger. 

The good lady was so anxious for everything to 
be exactly as the children liked it, that sometimes 
Laura felt quite at a loss what to say or do. One 
day having cracked her egg-shell at breakfast, Mrs 
Darwin peeped anxiously over her shoulder, saying, 

" I hope, my dear! your egg is all right?" 

" Most excellent, indeed!" 

" Is it quite fresh V 

" Perfectly ! I daresay it was laid only a minute 
before it was boiled!" 

" I have seen the eggs much larger than that! 1 ' 

" Yes ! but then I believe they are rather coarse, 



l68 the broken keit. 

— at least we think so, when Mrs Crabtrcc gives 
us a turkey-egg at dinner." 

<: If you prefer them small, perhaps you would 
like a guinea-fowl's egg!" 

"Thank you! but this one is just as I like them." 

" It looks rather over-done ! If you think so, 
we could get another in a minute!" 

" No! they are better well boiled!" 

" Then probably it is not enough done. Some 
people like them quite hard, and I could easily pop 
it into the slop-basin for another minute." 

" I am really obliged to you, but it could not be 
improved." 

" Do you not take any more salt with your egg V 

" No, I thank you!" 

" A few more grains would improve it!" 

" If you say so, I daresay they will." 

" Ah ! now I am afraid you have put in too much! 
Fray do get another !" 

This long-continued attack upon her egg was 
too much for Laura's gravity, who appeared for 
some minutes to have a violent fit of coughing, and 
ended in a burst of laughter, after which she has- 
tily finished all that remaiued of it, and thus the 
discussion closed. 

In the midst of all their happiness, while the 
children thought that every succeeding day had no 
fault but being too short, and Harry even planned 



THE BROKEN KEY. 1.69 

with Peter to stop the clock altogether, and see 
whether time itself would not stand still, nobody 
ever thought for a moment of anything hut joy ; 
and yet a very sad and sudden distress awaited M"s 
Darwin. One forenoon she received a letter tli it 
seemed very hastily and awkwardly folded, — the 
seal was all to one side, and surrounded with stray 
drops of red wax, — the direction seemed sadly 
blotted, and at the top was written, in large letters, 
the words " To be delivered immediately." 

When Mrs Darwin hurriedly tore open this very 
strange-looking letter, she found that it came from 
her own housekeeper in town, to announce the 
dreadful event that her sister Lady Barnet had 
been that day seized with an apoplectic fit, and was 
thought to be at the point of death, therefore it 
was hoped that Mrs Darwin would not lose an hour 
in returning to town, that she might be present on 
the melancholy occasion. The shock of hearing 
this news was so very great, that poor Mrs Darwin 
could not speak about it, but after trying to com- 
pose herself for a few minutes, she went into the 
play-room, and told the children that, for reasons 
she could not explain, they must get ready to re- 
turn home in an hour, when the car would be at the 
door for their journey. 

Nothing could exceed their surprise on hearing 
Mrs Darwin make so unexpected a proposal. At 



170 THE BROKEN KEY, 

first Peter Grey thought she was speaking in jest, 
andsaid hewould prefer if she ordered out a halloon 
to travel in, this morning ; but when it appeared 
that Mrs Darwin was really in earnest about their 
pleasant visit being over so soon, Harry's face 
grew perfectly red with passion, while he said, in 
a loud, angry voice, 

" Grandraama allowed me to stay here till Friday ! 
— and I was invited to stay, — and I will not leave 
this nice, pretty house !" 

" Oh, fie, Master Harry ! " said Mrs Crabtree. 
" Do not talk so ! You ought to know better ! I 
shall soon teach you, however, to do as you arc 
bid!" 

Saying these words, she stretched out her hand 
to seize violent hold of him, but Harry dipped down 
and escaped. Quickly opening the door, he ran, 
half in joke, and half in earnest, at full speed, up 
two pairs of stairs, followed closely by Mrs Crab- 
tree, who was now in a terrible rage, especially 
when she saw what a piece of fun Harry thought 
this fatiguing race. A door happened to be stand- 
ing Avide open on the second landing-place, which, 
having been observed by Harry, he darted in, and 
slammed it in Mrs Crabtree's face, locking and 
double-locking it, to secure his own safety, after 
which he sat down in the empty apartment to enjoy 
his victory in peace. When people once begin to 



THE BROKEN KEY. 171 

grow self-willed and rebellious, it is impossible to 
guess where it will all end! Harry might have 
been easily led to do right at first, if any one had 
reasoned with hi in and spoken kindly, but now lie 
really was in a sort of don't-care-a-button humour 
and scarcely minded what he did next. 

As long as Mrs Crabtrcc continued to scold and 
rave behind the door, Harry grew harder and hard- 
er ; but at length the good old lady Mrs Darwin 
herself arrived up stairs, and represented how un 
grateful he was, not doing all in his power to please 
her, when she had taken so much pains to make 
him happy. This brought the little rebel round in 
a moment, as he became quite sensible of his own 
misconduct, and resolved immediately to submit. 
Accordingly, Harry tried to open the door, but 
what is very easily done cannot sometimes be un- 
done, which turned out the case on this occasion, 
as, with all his exertions, the key would not turn 
in the lock ! Harry tried it first one way, then 
another. He twisted with Lis whole strength, till 
his face became perfectly scarlet with the effort, 
but in vain ! At last he put the poker through the 
handle of the key, thinking this a very clever plan, 
and quite sure to succeed, but after a desperate 
struggle, the unfortunate key broke in two; so then 
nobody could possibly open the door ! 

After this provoking accident happened, Harry 



1 l 2 THE EROKl'.N KI ; T. 

f.dt what a very bad boy lie had been, so he burst 
into tears, and called through the key-hole to beg 
Mrs Darwin's pardon, while Mrs Crabtrcc scolded 
him through the key-hole in return, till Harry 
shrunk away as if a cannonading had begun at his 
ear. 

Meantime, Mrs Darwin hurried off, racking her 
brains to think what had best be done to deliver 
the prisoner, since no time could be lost, or she 
might perhaps not get to town at all that night, 
and the car was expected every minute to come 
round for the travellers. The gardener said he 
thought it might be possible to find a few ladders, 
which, being tied one above another, would per- 
haps reach as high as the window, where Harry had 
now appeared, and by which he could easily scramble 
down ; so the servants made haste to fetch all they 
could find, and to borrow all they could see, till a 
great many were collected. These they joined to- 
gether very strongly with ropes, but when it was 
at last reared against the wall, to the great disap- 
pointment of Mrs Darwin, the ladder appeared a 
yard and a half too short! 

Wliat was to bo done? 

The obliging gardener mounted to the very top 
of his ladder, and Harry leaned so far over the 
window, he seemed in danger of falling out, but 
still they did not reach one another, so not a single 



THE BROKEN KEY. 173 

person could guess what plan would be tried next. 
At length Harry called out very loudly to the 
gardener, 

" Hollo! Mr King of Spades ! if I were to let 
myself drop very gently down from the window, 
could you catch me in your arms?" 

" Master Harry ! Master Harry ! if you dare !" 
cried Mrs Crabtree, shaking her fist at him. "You'll 
be broken in pieces like a tea-pot; you'll be made 
as flat as a pan-cake! Stay where you are! Do ye 
hear?" 

But Harry seemed suddenly grown deaf, and was 
now more than half out — fixing his fingers very 
fnunly on the ledge of the window, and slowly drop- 
ping his legs downwards. 

"Oh, Harry! you will be killed!" screamed 
Laura. " Stop ! stop ! Harry, are you mad ? can 
nobody stop him?" 

But nobody could stop him ; for, being so high 
above everybody's head, Harry had it all his own 
way, and was now hanging altogether out of the 
window, but he stopped a single minute, and call- 
ed out, " Do not be frightened, Laura ! I have 
behaved very ill, and deserve the worst that can 
happen. If I do break my head it will save Mrs 
Crabtree the trouble of breaking it for me, after 
I come down." 

The gardener now balanced himself steadily on 



174 THE BROKEN KEY. 

the upper stop of the ladder, and spread his anna 
out, while Harry slowly let himself drop. Laura 
tried to look on without screaming out, as that 
might have startled him, but the scene became too 
frightful, so she closed her eyes, put her hands over 
her face, and turned away, while her heart beat so 
violently, that it might almost have been heard. 
Even Mrs Crabtree clasped her hands in an agony ot 
alarm, while Mrs Darwin put up her pocket-hand- 
kerchief, and could not look on another moment. An 
awful pause took place, during which a feather fall- 
ing on the ground would have startled them, when 
suddenly a loud shout from Peter Grey and the 
other children, which was gaily echoed from the top 
of the ladder, made Laura venture to look up, and 
there was Harry safe in the gardener's arms, who 
soon helped him down to the ground,, where he im- 
mediately asked pardon of everybody for the fright 
he had given them. 

There was no time for more than half a scold 
from Mrs Crabtree, as Mrs Darwin's car had been 
waiting some time ; so Harry said she might be 
owing him the rest, on some future occasion. 

" Yes! and a hundred lashes besuh's !" added 
Peter Grey, laughing. " Pray touch him up well, 
Mrs Crabtree, when you arc about it. There is no 
law against cruelty to boys!" 

This put Mrs Crabtree into such a rage, that she 



THE BROKEN KEY 175 

followed Peter with a perfect hail-storm of angry 
words, till at last, for a joke, lie put up Mrs Dar- 
win's umbrella to screen himself, and immediately 
afterwards the car drove slowly off. 

When uncle David heard all the adventures at 
Ivy Lodge, he listened most attentively to *' the 
confessions of Master Harry Graham," and shook 
his head in a most serious manner after they were 
concluded, saying, " I have always thought that 
boys are like cats, with nine lives at least ! You 
should be hung up in a basket, Harry, as they do 
with unruly boys in the South Sea Islands, where 
such young gentlemen as you are left dangling in 
the air for days together, without a possibility of 
escape!" 

" I would not care for that, compared with being 
teased and worried by Mrs Crabtree. I really wish, 
uncle David, that Dr Bell would order me never to 
be scolded any more ! It is very bad for me ! I 
generally feel an odd sort of over-all-ish-ness as 
soon as she begins ; and I am getting too big now 
for anything but a birch-rod like Frank. How plea- 
sant it is to be a grown-up man, uncle David, as you 
are, sitting all day at the club with your hat on your 
head, and nothing to do but look out of the window. 
That is what I call happiness!" 

" But once upon a time, Harry." said Lady Har- 
riet; "when I stopped in the carriage for your uncle 



2 7*) the bkoke;: key. 

David at the club, lie was in the middle of sucli a 
yawn at the window that lie very nearly dislocated 
his jaw ! It was quite alarming to sec him, and he 
told me in a great secret, that the longest and most 
tiresome hours of his life are, when he has nothing 
particular to do." 

" Now, at this moment, I have nothing particu- 
lar to do," said Major Graham, " therefore I shall 
tell you a wonderful story, children, about liking 
to be idle or busy, and you must find out the moral 
for yourselves." 

" A story! a story ! " cried Harry and Laura, in 
an ecstacy of delight; and as they each had a knee 
of uncle David's, which belonged to themselves. 
they scrambled into their places, cxclaiminc;, - Now 
let it be all about very bad boys, and giants, aud 
fairies!" 



CHAPTER IX. 



r.vcLE ij.vvid's nonssnstcal sroitT about aiAJns 

AND FAI1UES. 

" Pie-crust, and pastry-crust, that was the wall ; 
The windows were made of black-puddings and white. 
And slated with pancake:; — you ne'er saw the like!" 

l.\ T the days of yore, children were not all such 
clever, good, sensible people as they are now ! Les- 
sons were then considered rather a plague — 
Bugar-plums were still in demand — holidays con- 
tinued yet in fashion — and toys were not then 
made to teach mathematics, nor story-books to give 
instruction in chemistry and navigation. These 
Were very strange times, and there existed at that 
period, a very idle, greedy, naughty boy, such as 
we never hear of in the present day. His papa 
and mama were — no matter who, — and he lived, no 
matter where. His name was Master No-book, 
end he seemed to thint his eyes were made for 



178 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 

nothing but to stare out of the windows, and his 
mouth for no other purpose but to cat. Thi« 
young gentleman hated lessons liked mustard, 
both of which brought tears into his eyes, and 
during school-hours he sat gazing at his books, 
pretending to be busy, while bis mind wandered 
away to wish impatiently for dinner, and to con- 
sider where he could get the nicest pies, pastry, 
ices, and jellies, while he smacked his lips at the 
very thoughts of them. I think he must have been 
first cousin to Peter Grey ; but that is not per- 
fectly certain. 

Whenever Master No-book spoke, it was always 
to ask for something, and you might continually 
hear him say, in a whining tone of voice, "Papa! 
may I take this piece of cake? Aunt Sarah! will you 
give me an apple? Mama! do send me the whole 
of that plum-pudding!" Indeed, very frequently, 
when he did not get permission to gormandize, 
this naughty glutton helped himself without leave. 
Even his dreams were like his waking hours, for 
he had often a horrible night-mare about lessons, 
thinking he M r as smothered with Greek Lexicons, 
or pelted out of the school with a shower of En- 
glish Grammars ; while one night he fancied him- 
self sitting down to devour an enormous plum- 
cake, and all on a sudden it became transformed 
into a Latin Dictionary! 



THE WONDERFUL STORY. 179 

One afternoon, Master No-book, having played 
truant all day from school, Avas lolling on his 
mama's best sofa in the drawing-room, with his 
leather boots tucked up on the satin cushions, and 
nothing to do but to suck a few oranges, and no- 
thing to think of but how much sugar to put upon 
them, when suddenly an eyent took place, which 
filled him with astonishment. 

A sound of soft music stole into the room, be- 
coming louder and louder the longer he listened, 
till at length, in a few moments afterwards, a large 
hole burst open in the wall of his room, and there 
stepped into his presence two magnificent fairies, 
just arrived from their castles in the air, to pay 
him a visit. They had travelled all the way on 
purpose to have some conversation with Master 
No-book, and immediately introduced themselves 
in a very ceremonious manner. 

The fairy Do-nothing was gorgeously dressed 
with a wreath of flaming gas round her head, a 
robe of gold tissue, a necklace of rubies, and a 
bouquet in her hand of glittering diamonds. Her 
cheeks were rouged to the very eyes, — her tectli 
were set in gold, and her hair was of a most bril- 
liant purple ; in short, so fine and fashionable- 
looking a fairy never was seen in a drawing-room 
before. 

The fairy Teach-all, who followed next, was 



180 THE WON'DF.IU'U!- STORY 

simply dressed in white muslin, ■with hunches of 
natural flowers in hei.' light brown hair, and she 
carried in her hand a few neat small books, which 
Master No-book looked at with a shudder of 
aversion. 

The two fairies now informed him, that they 
very often invited large parties of children to spend 
some time at their palaces, but as they lived in 
quite an opposite direction, it was necessary fur 
their young guests to choose which it would be 
hest to visit first ; therefore now they had come 
to inquire of Master No-book, whom he thought 
it would be most agreeable to accompany on the 
present occasion. 

"In my house," said the fairy Teach-all, speak- 
ing with a very sweet smile, and a soft, pleasing 
voice, "you shall be taught to find pleasure in 
every sort of exertion ; for I delight in activity and 
diligence. My young friends rise at seven every 
morning, and amuse themselves with working in 
a beautiful garden of flowers,— rearing whatever 
fruit they wish to cat, — visiting among the poor, 
— associating pleasantly together,— studying the 
arts and sciences, — and learning to know the world 
in which they live, and to fulfil the purposes for 
which they have been brought into it. In short, 
all our amusements tend to some useful object, 
either for our own improvement or the good of 



THK WONDKKFUL STOKV. I8i 

others, and you will grow wiser, Letter, and hap- 
pier every day you remain in the palace of Know- 
ledge." 

" Eut in Castle Needless, where I live," inter- 
rupted the fairy Do-nothing, rudely pushing her 
companion aside, with an angry, contemptuous look, 
" we never think of exerting; ourselves for anvthinff. 
You may put your head in your pocket, and your 
hands in your sides as long as you choose to stay. 
No one is ever even asked a question, that he may 
be spared the trouble of answering. We lead 
the most fashionable life imaginable, for nobody 
speaks to anybody ! Each of my visitors is quite 
an exclusive, and sits with his back to as many 
of the company as possible, intiiemostcomfortabio 
arm-chair that can be contrived. There, if you are 
only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for 
anything, it is yours, without even turning an eye 
round to look where it comes from. Dresses are 
provided of the most magnificent kind, which go 
on themselves, without your having the smallest 
annoyance with either buttons or strings, — games 
which you can play without an effort of thought,— 
and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking hot 
under your nose, from morning till night, — while 
any rain we have, is cither made of sherry, brandy 

lemonade, or lavender water, and in winter it gene- 

13 



182 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 

rady snows iccd-pmicli for an hour during the foro- 
noon. " 

Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book 
preferred ; and quite charmed at his own good for- 
tune in receiving so agreeable an invitation, he 
eagerly gave his hand to the splendid new acquaint- 
ance who promised him so much pleasure and ease, 
and gladly proceeded in a carriage lined with velvet, 
stuffed with downy pillows, and drawn by milk- 
white swans, to that magnificent residence, Castle 
Needless, which was lighted by a thousand win- 
dows during the day, and by a million of lamps 
2very night. 

Here Master No-book enjoyed a constant holi- 
day and a constant feast, while a beautiful lady 
covered with jewels was ready to tell him storiea 
from morning till night, and servants waited to 
pick up his playthings if they fell, or to draw out 
his purse or his pocket-handkerchief when ho 
wished to use them. 

Tims Master No-book lay dozing for hours and 
days on rich embroidered cushions, never stirring 
from hid place, but admiring the view of trees 
covered <vith the richest burnod almonds, grottoes 
of sugar- candy, a jet d'eau of champagne, a wide 
sea winch tasted of sugar instead of salt, and a 
bright cirAr pond, filled with gold fish, that let 



THE WONDERFUL STORY 183 

themselves be caught whenever he pleased. No- 
thing could bo more complete; and yet, very strange 
to say, Master No-book did not seem particularly 
happy ! This appears exceedingly unreasonable, 
when so much trouble was taken to please him but 
the truth is, that every day he became more fret- 
ful and peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the 
trouble of eating, nothing was pleasant to play at, 
and in the end he wished it were possible to sleep 
all day, as well as all night. 

Not a hundred miles from the fairy Do-nothing's 
palace, there lived' a most cruel monster called the 
giant Snap-'em-up, who looked, when he stood up, 
like the tall steeple of a great church, raising his 
head so high that he could peep over the loftiest 
mountains, and was obliged to climb up a ladder 
to comb his own hair ! 

Every morningregularly,thisprodigiousIy-great 
giant walked round the world before breakfast for 
an appetite, after which he made tea in a large 
lake, used the sea as a slop-basin, and boiled his 
kettle on Mount Vesuvius. He lived in great 
style, and his dinners were most magnificent, con- 
sisting very often of an elephant roasted whole, 
ostrich patties, a tiger smothered in onions, stewed 
lions, and whale soup ; but for a side dish his great- 
est favourite consisted of little boys, as fat as pos- 



184 T T JE YVONI>r,RFUTj STO.UY. 

sib!e, fried in crumbs of bread, with plenty of pep 
per ami salt 

i\'o children were so well fed, or in such good 
condition ibv eating as those in the fairy Do-no- 
thing's garden, who was a very particular friend of 
the giant Snap-'cm-up's, and whosometimeslaugh- 
ingly said she would give him a licence, and call 
her own garden his " preserve," because she al- 
lowed h-im to help himself, whenever he pleased, to 
as many of her visitors as he chose, without taking 
the trouble even to count them, and in return for 
such extreme civility, the giant very frequently in- 
vited her to dinner. 

Snap-em-up's favourite sport was, to see how 
many brace of little boys he could bag in a morn- 
ing ; so in passing along the streets, he peeped 
into all the drawing-rooms -without having occa- 
sion to get upon tiptoe, and picked up every young 
gentleman who was idly looking out of the win- 
dows, and even a few occasionally who were play- 
ing truant from school ; but busy children seemed 
always somehow quite out of his reach. 

One day, when Master No-book felt even more 
lazy, more idle, and more miserable than ever, he 
lay beside a perfect mountain of toys and cakes, 
wondering what to wish for next, and hating the 
very sight of everything and everybody. At last 



TUB WONDERFUL LTOJtY 185 

he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and disgust, 
that his jaw very nearly fell out of joint, and then 
he sighed so deeply, that the giant Snap-'em-up 
heard the sound as he passed along the road after 
breakfast, and instantly stepped into the garden, 
with his glass at his eye, to see what was the 
matter. Immediately on observing a large, fat, 
over-grown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on 
a bed of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed 
by a gigantic peal of laughter, which was heard 
three miles off, and picking up Master No-book 
between his finger and thumb, with a pinch that 
very nearly broke his ribs, he carried him rapidly 
towards his own castle, while the fairy Do-noth- 
ing laughingly shook her bead as he passed, Bay- 
ing " That little man does me great credit ! — he 
has only been fed for a week, and is as fat already 
as a prize ox ! What a dainty morsel he will be 
When do you dine to-day, in case I should have 
time to look in upon you l " 

On reaching home the giant immediately hung 
up Master No-book by the hair of his head, on 
a prodigious hook in the larder, having first taken 
some large lumps of nasty suet, forcing them dowft 
his throat to make him become still fatter, and 
then stirring the fire, that he might be almost 
melted with heat, to make his liver grow larger. 
On a shelf auito near, Master No-book perceived 



186 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 

the dead bodies of six other boys, whom he re- 
membered to have seen fattening in the fairy Do- 
nothing's garden, "while he recollected how some of 
them had rejoiced at the thoughts of leading a long, 
useless, idle life, with no one to please but them- 
selves. 

The enormous cook now seized hold of Master 
No-book, brandishing her knife, with an aspect 
of horrible determination, intending to kill him, 
while he took the trouble of screaming and kick- 
ing in the most desperate manner, when the giant 
turned gravely round and said, that as pigs were 
considered a much greater dainty when whipped 
to death than killed in any other way, he meant 
to see whether children might not be improved by 
it also ; therefore she might leave that great hog 
of a boy till he had time to try the experiment, 
especially as his own appetite would be improved 
by the exercise. This was a dreadful prospect 
for the unhappy prisoner ; but meantime it pro- 
longed his life a few hours, as lie was immediately 
hung up again in the larder, and left to himself. 
There, in torture of mind and body, — like a fish 
upon a hook, — the wretched boy began at last to 
reflect seriously upon his former ways, and to con- 
sider what a happy home he might have had, if he 
could only have been satisfied with business and 
pleasure succeeding each other, like day and night, 



THE WONDERFUL STORY 187 

while lessons might have come in as a pleasant 
eauce to his play-hours, and his play-hours as a 
sauce to his lessons. 

In the midst of many reflections, which were all 
very sensible, though rather too late, Master No- 
book's attention became attracted by the sound 
of many voices laughing, talking, and singing, 
which caused him to turn his eyes in a new direc- 
tion, when, for the first time, he observed that the 
fairy Teach-all's garden lay upon a beautiful slop- 
ing bank not far off. There a crowd of merry, 
noisy, rosy-cheeked boys were busily employed, 
and seemed happier than the day was long; -while 
poor Master No-book watched them during his 
own miserable hours, envying the enjoyment with 
which they raked the flower-borders, gathered the 
fruit, carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, 
worked with carpenter's tools, drew pictures, shot 
with bows and arrows, played at cricket, and then 
sat in the sunny arbours learning their tasks, or 
talking agreeably together, till at length, a din- 
ner-hell having been rung, the whole party sr/ 
merrily down with hearty appetites, and cheerfir. 
good humour, to an entertainment of plain roasi 
meat and pudding, where the fairy Teach-all pre- 
sided herself, and helped her guests moderately, U 
as much as was good for each. 

Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master 



188 TUii WCSDRJIFL'L STORY. 

Xo-book while watching this scene ; and remem- 
bering that if lie had known what wa3 be r *t for 
him, lie might have been as happy as the happiest 
of these excellent boys, instead of suffering ennui 
and weariness, as he had done at the fairy Do-no- 
thing's, ending in a miserable death; but his atten- 
tion was soon after most alarmingly roused by 
hearing the giant Snap-'em-up again in conver- 
sation with his cook ; who said, that if he wished 
for a good large dish of scolloped children at din- 
ner, it would be necessary to catch a few more, 
as those he had already provided would scarcely 
be a mouthful. 

As the giant kept very fashionable hours, and 
always waited dinner for himself till nine o'clock, 
there was still plenty of time ; so, with a loud 
grumble about the trouble, he seized a large bas- 
ket in his hand, and set off at a rapid pace towards 
the fairv Teach-all* s garden. It was very seldom 
that Snap-'em-up ventured to think of foraging 
in this direction, as he never once succeeded in 
carrying off a single captive from the enclosure, 
it was so well fortified and so bravely defended ; 
but on this occasion, being desperately hungry, he 
felt as bold as a lion, and walked, with outstretched 
bands, straight towards the fairy Tcach-all's din- 
ner-table, taking such prodigious .strides, that he 
seemed almost as if he would trample on himself 



THE WONDERFUL STORY 189 

A cry of consternation arose the instant tliis 
tremendous giant appeared ; and as usual on such 
occasions, when lie had made the same attempt be- 
fore, a dreadful battle took place. Fifty active 
little boys bravely flew upon the enemy, armed with 
their dinner knives, and looked like a nest of hor- 
nets, stinging him in every direction, till he roared 
with pain, and would have run away, but the fairy 
Teach-all, seeing his intention, rushed forward with 
the carving-knife, and brandishing it high over her 
head, she most courageously stabbed him to the 
heart ! 

If a great mountain had fallen to the earth, it 
would have seemed like nothing in comparison of 
the giant Snap-'em-up, who crushed two or three 
houses to powder beneath him, and upset several 
fine monuments that were to have made people re- 
membered for ever ; but all this would have seem- 
ed scarcely worth mentioning, had it not been lor 
a still greater event which occurred on the occa- 
sion, no less than the death of the fairy Do-nothing, 
who had been indolently looking on at this great 
battle, without taking the trouble to interfere, or 
even to care who was victorious ; but being also 
lazy about running away, when the giant fell, his 
sword came with so violent a stroke on her head, 
that she instantly expired. 

Thus, luckily for the whole world, the fairy 



190 THE WONDERFUL STORY 

Teacli-all got possession of immense property, 
which she proceeded without delay to make the 
best use of in her power. 

In the first place, however, she lost no time in 
liberating Master No-book from his hook in the 
larder, and gaye him a lecture on activity, modera- 
tion, and good conduct, which he never afterwards 
forgot ; and it was astonishing to see the change 
that took place immediately in his whole thoughts 
and actions. From this very hour, Master No- 
book became the most diligent, active, happy boy 
in the fairy Teach-all's garden ; and on returning 
home a month afterwards, he astonished all the 
masters at school by his extraordinary reforma- 
tion. The most difficult lessons were a pleasure 
to him, — he scarcely ever stirred without a book 
in his hand, — never lay on a sofa again, — would 
scarcely even sit on a chair with a back to it, but 
preferred a three-legged stool, — detested holidays, 
— never thought any exertion a trouble, — preferred 
climbing over the top of a hill to creeping round tlio 
bottom, — always ate the plainest food in very small 
quantities,— joined a Temperance Society ! — and 
never tasted a morsel till he had worked very hard 
and got an appetite. 

Not long after this, an old uncle, who had for- 
merly been ashamed of Master No-book's indo- 
lence and gluttony, became so pleased at the won 



THSi WONDERFUL STORY. 191 

dcrful change, that, on his death, he left him a 
magnificent estate, desiring that he should take his 
name ; therefore, instead of being any longer one 
of the No-book family, he is now called Sir Timo* 
thy Bluestocking, — a pattern to the whole country 
round, for the good he does to every one, and espe- 
cially for his extraordinary activity, appearing as 
if he could do twenty things at once. Though gene- 
rally very good-natured and agreeable, Sir Timothy 
is occasionally observed in a violent passion, laying 
about him with his walking-stick in the most ter- 
rific manner ar/i beating little boys within an in?h 
>f their lives ; out on inquiry, it invariably ap- 
pears, that he has found them out to be lazy, idle, 
or greedy, for all the industrious boys in the parish 
are sent to get employment from him, while he 
assures them that they are far happier breaking 
stones on the road, than if they were sitting idlj 
vu a drawing-room with nothing to do. Sir Timo- 
thy cares very little for poetry in general ; but the 
following arc his favourite verses, which he haa 
placed over the chimney-piece at a school that he 
built for the poor, and every scholar is obliged, the 
very day he begins his education, to learn them 

Some people complain they have nothing to do, 

And time passes slowly away ; 
They saunter about with no object ia view, 

And long for the end of the day 



192 THE WOffDERFOX STORY. 

In vain are the trifles and toys they desire, 

For nothing they truly enjoy ; 
Of trifles, and toys, and amusements they tire, 

For want of some useful employ. 

Although for transgression the ground was accursed, 

Yet gratefully man must allow, 
'Twas really a blessing which doom'd him, at firrt, 

To live by the sweat of his brow. 

" Thank you a hundred times over uncle David !' 
said Harry, when the story was finished. " I shall 
take care not to be found hanging any day, on a hook 
in the larder ! Certainly, Frank, you must have spent 
a month with the good fairy ; and I hope she will 
some day invite me to be made a scholar of too, for 
Laura and I still belong to the No-book family " 

" It is very important, Harry, to choose the best 
course from the beginning," observed Lady Har- 
riet. " Good or bad habits groAV stronger and 
stronger every minute, as if an additional string 
were tied on daily, to keep us in the road where 
we walked the day before ; so those who mistake 
the path of duty at first, find hourly increasing 
difficulty in turning round." 

" But Grrandmama!" said Frank, " you have put 
up some finger-posts to direct us right ; and Arhen- 
ever I see ' No passage thi3 way,' we shall all wheel 
about directly." 

" As Mrs Crab tree has not tapped at the door 
yet, I shall describe the progress of a wise andf 



THE WONDERFUL STORY. 193 

a foolish man, to sec which Harry and you would 
prefer copying," replied Lady Harriet, smiling. 
" The fool begins when he is young, with hating 
lessons, lying long in bod, and spending all his 
money on trash. Any books lie will consent to 
read, arc never about what is true or important ; 
but he wastes all his time and thoughts on silly 
stories that never could have happened. Thus ho 
neglects to learn what was done and thought by 
all the great and good men who really lived in 
former times ; while even his Bible, if he has one, 
grows dusty on the shelf. After so bad a begin- 
ning, he grows up with no useful or interesting 
knowledge ; therefore his whole talk is to describe 
his own horses, his own dogs, his own guns, and 
his own exploits ; boasting of what a high Avail 
his horse can leap over, the number of little birds 
he can shoot in a day, and how many bottles of 
wine he can swallow without tumbling under the 
table. Thus ' glorying in his shame,' he thinks 
himself a most wonderful person, not knowing 
that men are born to do much better things than 
merely to find selfish pleasure and amusement for 
themselves. Presently he grows old, gouty, and 
infirm — no longer able to do such prodigious 
achievements ; therefore now his great delight is, 
to sit with his feet upon thi fender, at a club, 



194 THE WONDERFUL STORY. 

all clay, telling what a famous rider, shooter, and 
drinker he was long ago : but nobody cares to 
hear such old stories ; therefore he is called a 
' proser,' and every person avoids him. It is no 
wonder a man talks about himself, if he has never 
read or thought about any one else. But at length 
his precious time has all been wasted, and his last 
hour comes, during which he can hare nothing to 
look back upon, but a life of folly and guilt. He 
sees no one around who loves him, or will weep 
over his grave ; and when he looks forward, it is 
towards an eternal world, which he has never pre- 
pared to enter, and of which he knows nothing." 

" What a terrible picture, grandmama !" said 
Frank, rather gravely. " I hope there are not 
many people like that, or it would be very sad to 
meet with them . Now pray let us have a pleasanter 
description of the sort of persons you would like 
Harry and me to become." 

" The first foundation of all is, as you already 
know, Frank, to pray that you may be put in the 
right course, and kept in it ; for of ourselves we 
are so sinful and weak, that we can do no good 
thing. Then feeling a full trust in the Divine as- 
sistance, you must begin and ynd every day with 
studying your Bible ; not merely reading it, but 
carefully endeavouring to understand and obey 



i'HE WONDERFUL STORY 1,95 

what it contains. Our leisure should be bestowed 
on reading of wiser and better people than our- 
selves, which Avill keep us humble while it instructs 
our understandings, and thus we shall be fitted 
to associate with persons whose society is even 
better than books. Christians who are enlightened 
and sanctified in the knowledge of all good things, 
will show us an example of carefully using our 
time, which is the most valuable of all earthly pos- 
sessions. If we waste our money, we may perhaps 
get more — if we lose our health, it may be restored 
— but time squandered on folly must hereafter 
be answered for, and can never be regained. What- 
ever be your station in life, waste none of your 
thoughts upon fancying how much better you 
might have acted in some other person's place, 
but see what duties belong to that station in which 
you live, and do what that requires with activity 
and diligence. When we are called to give an 
account of our stewardship, let us not have to 
confess at the last that we wasted our one talent, 
because we wished to have been trusted with ten ; 
but let us prepare to render up what was given 
to us with joy and thankfulness, perfectly satis 
fied that the best place in life is where God ap- 
points, and where He will guide us to a safe and 
peaceful end." 



106 THE WONDEKFUL STOUY 

" Yes !" added JIajor Graham. " We have 
two eyes in our minds as well as in our bodies. 
"With one of these we sec all that is good or agree- 
able in our lot — with the other we see all that is 
unpleasant or disappointing ; and you may gene- 
rally choose which eye to keep open. Some of my 
friends always peevishly look at the troubles and 
vexations they endure, but they might turn them 
into good, by considering that every circumstance 
is sent from the same hand, with the same merci- 
ful purpose — to make us better now, and happier 
hereafter." 

" Well ! my dear children," said Lady Harriet, 
" it is time now for retiring to Bedfordshire ; so 
good night." 

" If you please, grandmama ! not yet," asked 
Harry, anxiously. " Give us five minutes longer !" 

" And then in the morning you will want to re- 
main five minutes moro in bed. That is the way 
people learn to keep such dreadfully late hours 
at last, Harry ! I knew one very rich old gentle- 
man formerly, who always wished to sit up a little 
later every night, and to get up a little later in 
the morning, till at length, he ended by hiring a 
Bet of servants to rise at nine in the evening, as 
he did himself, and to remain in bed all day " 

" People should regulate their sleep very con- 



THE •flTONDEKFl'L STORY. 197 

scicntiously," added Major Graham, " so as to 
u*aste as little time as possible ; and our good 
king George III. set us the example, for he re- 
marked, tha 1 . six hours in the night were quite 
3nough for a man, seven hours for a woman, and 
eight for a fool. Or perhaps, Harry, you might 
like to live by Sir William Jones' rule : 

' Six hours to read, to soothing slumber seven, 
Ten to the world allot — and a.i to Heaven ' ' 



14 



•JHAPTER X. 



THE ILLUMINATION. 

A neighbour's house he'd slyly pass, 
And throw a stone to break the glass. 

One fine morning, Peter Grey persuaded a party of 
his companions to spend all the money that they had 
on cakes and sugar-plums, and to make a splendid 
entertainment under the trees in Charlotte Square, 
•where they were to sit like a horde of gipsies, and 
THnuse themselves with telling fortunes to each 
other. Harry and Laura had no one with them but 
Betty, who gladly joined a group of nursery-maids 
at a distance, leaving them to their own devices ; 
upon which they rushed up to Peter and offered theii 
assistance, subscribing all their pocket-money, and 
begging him to set forth and obtain provisions for 
them as well as for himself. Neither Harry nor 
Laura cared for eating the trash that was collected 
on this occasion, and would have been quite as well 
pleased tc distribute it among tlici'* companions 



THE ILLUMINATION. 199 

but they both enjoyed extremely the bustle of 
arranging this elegant dejeune, or " disjune," as 
Peter called it. Harry gathered leaves off the 
trees to represent plates, on each of which Peter 
arranged some of the fruit or sweetmeats he had 
purchased, while they placed benches together as 
a table, and borrowed Laura's white India shawl 
for a table-cloth. 

"It looks like that £Tand public dinner we saw at 
the Assembly Room, one day!" exclaimed Harry, 
in an ecstacy of admiration. " We must have 
speeches and toasts like real gentlemen and officers. 
Peter ! if you will make a fine oration, full of com- 
pliments to me, I shall say something wonderful 
about you, and then Laura must beat upon the table 
with a stick, to show that she agrees to all that 
we observe in praise of each other." 

" Or suppose we all take the names of some great 
personages," added Peter; " I shall be the Duke of 
Wellington, and Laura, you must be Joseph Hume, 
and Harry, you are Sir Robert Peel, that we may 
seem as different as possible ; but here comes the 
usher of the black rod to disperse us all ! Mrs 
Crabtree hurrying into the square, her very gown 
flaming with rage ! what can be the matter ! she 
must have smelled the sugar-plums a mile off ! One 
comfort is, if Harry and Laura are taken away, wo 
shall have the fewer people to divide these cakea 



200 THE ILLUMINATION. 

among, and I could devour every one of tlieni for 
my own share." 

Before Peter finished speaking, Mrs Crabtree 
had come close up to the table, and without wait- 
ing to utter a word, or even to scold, she twitched 
Up Laura's shawl in her hand, and thus scattered 
the whole feast in every direction on the ground, 
after which she trampled the sugar -plums and cakes 
into the earth, saying, 

" I knew how it would be, as soon as I saw whose 
company you were in, Master Harry! Peter Grey 
is the father of mischief! he ought to be put into 
the monkey's cage at the Geological gardens ! I 
would not be your maid, Master Grey, for a hun- 
dred a-year." 

" You would need to buy a thrashing machine im- 
mediately," said Peter, laughing; "what a fine time 
I should have of it! you would scarcely allow me, 
I suppose, to blow my porridge ! How long would 
it take you, Mrs Crabtree, to make quite a perfectly 
good boy of me 1 Perhaps a month, do you think ? 
or, to make me as good as Frank, it might possi- 
bly require six Aveeks ? ' 

"Six weeks!" answered Mrs Crabtree; "sixyears, 
or sixty would be too short. You are no more like 
Master Frank than a shilling is to a guinea, or a 
wax light is to a dip. If the news were told that 
you had been a good boy for a single day, the very 



THE ILLUMINATION. 201 

statutes in the streets would come running- along 
to see the wonder. No ! no ! I have seen manj 
surprising things in my day, but them great pyra« 
muses in Egypt will turn upside down before you 
turn like Master Frank." 

Some days after this adventure of Harry and 
Laura's, there arrived newspapers from London 
containing accounts of a great battle which had 
been fought abroad. On that occasion the British 
troops of course performed prodigies of valour, 
and completely conquered the enemy, in conse- 
quence of which, it was ordered by government, 
that, in every town, and every village, and every 
house throughout the whole kingdom, there should 
be a grand illumination. 

Neither Harry nor Laura had ever heard of such 
a thing as an illumination before, and they were full 
of curiosity to know what it was like ; but their very 
faces became lighted up with joy, when Major 
Graham described that they would see crowds of 
candles flaming in every window, tar-barrels blazing 
on every hill, flambeaux glaring at the doors, and 
transparencies, fireworks, and coloured lamps, 
shining in all the streets. 

" How delightful ! and walking out in the dark 
to see it," cried Harry, " that will be best of all ! 
oh ! and a whole holiday ! I hardly know whether 



202 THE ILLUMINATION 

I am in my right wits, or my wrong wits for joy ! 
I wish we gained a victory every day !" 

" What a warrior you would be, Harry ! Crcsar 
was nothing to you," said Frank. " We might be 
satisfied with one good battle in a year, consider- 
ing how many are killed and wounded." 

" Yes, but I hope all the wounded soldiers will 
recover." 

" Or get pensions," added uncle David. " It is 
a grand sight, Frank, to see a whole nation re- 
joicing at once ! In general, when you walk out 
and meet fifty persons in the street, they are all 
thinking of fifty different things, and each intent 
on some business of his own, but on this occasion 
all are of one mind and one heart." 

Frank and Harry were allowed to nail a dozen 
little candlesticks upon each window in the house, 
which delighted them exceedingly ; and then be- 
fore every pane of glass they placed a tall candle, 
impatiently longing for the time when these were 
to be illuminated. Laura was allowed to carry a 
match, and assist in lighting them, but in the ex- 
cess of her joy, she very nearly made a bonfire of 
herself, as her frock took fire, and would soon have 
been in a blaze, if Frank had not hastily seized a 
large rug and rolled it round her. 

In every house Avithin sight, servants and chil- 



THE ILLUMINATION 203 

dret were to be seen hurrying about with burning 
matches, while hundreds of lights blazed up in a 
moment, looking as if all the houses in town had 
taken fire. 

" Such a waste of candles !" said Mrs Crabtree, 
angrily ; " can't people be happy in the dark V 

" No, Mrs Crabtree," answered Frank, laughing. 
" They cannot be happy in the dark ! People's 
spirits are always in exact proportion to the num- 
ber of lights. If you ever feel dull with one candle, 
light another ; and if that does not do, try a third, 
or a fourth, till you feel merry and cheerful. "We 
must not let you be candle-snuffer to-night, or you 
will be putting them all out. You would snuff out 
the sun itself, to save a shilling." 

" The windows might perhaps bo broken," 
added Laura; "for whatever pane of glass does not 
exhibit a candle, is to have a stone sent through 
it. Harry says the mob are all glaziers, who break 
them on purpose to mend the damage next clay, 
which they will be paid handsomely for doing." 

There were many happy, joyous faces to be seen 
that evening in the streets, admiring the splendid 
illumination ; but the merriest party of all was 
composed of Frank, Harry, and Laura, under the 
command of uncle David, who had lately suf- 
fered from a severe fit of the gout ; but it seemed 
to have left him this night, in honour of the great 



204 THE ILLUMINATION. 

victory, wK'ii he appeared quite as much a hoy as 
either of his two companions. For many hours 
they walked about in the streets, gazing up at the 
glittering windows, some of which looked as if a 
constellation of stars had come down for a night 
to adorn them ; and others were filled with the 
most beautiful pictures of Britannia carrying the 
world on her shoulders ; or Mars showering down 
wreaths of laurel on the Duke of Wellington, while 
victory was sitting at his feet, and fame blowing 
a trumpet at his ear. Harry thought these paint- 
ings finer than any he had ever seen before, and 
stood for some moments entranced with admira- 
tion, on beholding a representation in red, blue, 
yellow, and black, of Europe, Asia, Africa, and 
America, all doing homage to St George mounted 
on a dragon, which breathed out fire and smoke 
like a steam-boat. Nothing, however, occasioned 
the party such a burst of delightful surprise, as 
when they first beheld the line of blazing windows 
more than a mile long, from the bottom of the 
Canongate to the highest pinnacle of the Castle, 
where they seemed almost to meet the stars shin- 
ing above, in their perpetual glory. " You see," 
remarked Major Graham, when he pointed them 
ouo to his young companions, " there is a fit em- 
blem of the difterence between earth and heaven. 
These lights are nearer and brighter to us at pva- 



TUB ILLUMINATION. 205 

gent, but when they have blazed and glittered for 
one little hour, they come to an end ; while those 
above, which we see so dimly now, will continue 
to shine for ages and generations hereafter, till 
time itself is no more." 

Occasionally, during their progress, Harry felt 
very indignant to observe a few houses perfectly 
dark ; and whether the family were sick, or out of 
town, or whatever the reason might be, he scarcely 
became sorry when a frequent crash might be heard, 
as the mob, determined to have their own way this 
night, aimed showers of stones at the offending 
windows, till the very frames seemed in danger of 
being broken. At last uncle David led his joyous 
little party into Castle Street, in which not a light 
was to be seen, and every blind seemed carefully 
closed. A crowd had assembled, with an evident 
intention to attack these melancholy houses, when 
Major Graham suddenly caught hold of Harry's 
arm, on observing that he had privately picked up 
a large stone, which he was in the very act of throw- 
ing with his whole force at one of the defenceless 
windows. And now the whole party stood stock- 
still, while uncle David said in a very angry and 
serious voice, 

" Harry ! you heedless, mischievous boy ! will 
you never learn to consider a moment before you 
do what is wrong 1 I am exceedingly displeased 



206 THE ILLUMINATION. 

with you for this ! What business is it of yours 
whether that house he lighted up or not V 

" But, uncle David ! surely it is very wrong not 
to obey the government, and to be happy like every- 
body else ! Besides, you see the mob will break 
those windows at any rate, so it is no matter if I 
help them." 

" Then, for the same reason, if they were setting 
the house on fire, I suppose you would assist the 
conflagration, Harry. Your excuse is a bad one ; 
when you hear what I have to say about this house 
let it be a lesson for the rc«t of your life, never 
to judge hastily, nor to act rashly. The officer to 
whom it belonged has been killed in the great 
battle abroad ; and while we are rejoicing in the 
victory that his bravery helped to gain, his widow 
and children are weeping within those Avails, for 
the husband and father who lies buried on a foreign 
shore. Think what a contrast these shouts of joy 
must be to their grief." 

" Oh, uncle David ! how sorry I am !" said 
Harry. " I deserve to go home this moment, and 
not to see a candle again for a week. It was very 
wrong of me indeed. I shall walk all the way 
home with my eyes shut, if you will only excuso 
me." 

" No, no, Harry ! that is not necessary ! If the 
eyes of your mind arc open, to sec that you hav<,> 



THE ILLUMINATION. 207 

acted amiss, then try to behave better in future. 
When people arc happy themselves, they are too 
apt to forget that others may be in distress, and 
often feel quite surprised and provoked at those 
Avho appear melancholy ; but our turn must come 
like theirs. Life is made up of sunshine and sha- 
dow, both of which are sent for our good, and 
neither of them last, in this world, for ever ; but 
we should borrow part of our joys, and part of our 
sorrows, from sympathy with all those we see or 
know, which will moderate the excess of whatever 
is our portion in life." 

At this moment, the mob, which had been gra- 
dually increasing, gave a tremendous shout, and 
were on the point of throwing atorrent of stones at 
the dark, mournful house, which had made so nar- 
row an escape from Harry's vengeance, when Major 
Graham, forgetting his gout, hastily sprung upon 
a lamp-post, and calling for attention, he made a 
speech to the crowd, telling of the brave Captain 

D who had died for his country, covered with 

wounds, and that his mourning family was assem- 
bled in that house. Instantly the mob became as 
silent and motionless as if they had themselves 
been turned into stones ; after which, they gra- 
dually stole away, with downcast eyes, and mourn- 
ful countenances ; while it is believed that some 
riotous people, who had been loudest and fiercest 



208 THE ILLUMINATION. 

at first, afterwards stood at the top of the little 
street like sentinels, for more than an hour, to 
warn every one who passed, that ho should go 
silently along, in respect for the memory of a brave 
and good officer. Not another shout was heard in 
the neighbourhood that night ; and many a merry 
laugh was suddenly checked, from reverence for 
the memory of the dead, and the sorrow of the liv- 
ing ; while some spectators remarked, with a sigh 
of melancholy reflection, that men must ever join 
trembling with their mirth, because even in the 
midst of life they are in death. 

" If we feel so much sorrow for this one officer 
and his family, it shews," said Frank, " what a 
dreadful thing war is, which costs the lives of thou- 
sands and tens of thousands, in every campaign, by 
sickness and fatigue, and the other sources of 
misery that accompany every army." 

" Yes, Frank ! and yet there has scarcely been 
a year on earth, while the world has existed, with- 
out fighting in some country or another ; for, since 
the time when Cain killed Abel, men have been 
continually destroying each other. Animals only 
fight in temporary irritation when they are hungry ; 
but pride, ambition, and folly of every kind have 
caused men to hate and massacre each other. Even 
religion itself has caused the fiercest and most 
bloody conflicts, though, if that were only under- 



THE ILLUMINATION. 209 

Btood and obeyed as it ought to be, the great truths 
of Scripture would produce peace on earth, and 
good will among all the children of men." 

The whole party had been standing for some 
minutes opposite to the Post-Office, which looked 
like a rainbow of coloured lamps, and Harry was 
beginning, for the twentieth time, to try if he could 
count how many there were, when Major Graham 
felt something twitching hold of his coat-pocket be- 
hind, and on wheeling suddenly round, he perceived 
a little boy, not much older than Harry, darting 
rapidly off in another direction, carrying his own 
purse and pocket-handkerchief in his hand. Being 
still rather lame, and unable to move very fast, Ma- 
jor Graham could only vociferate at the very top 
of his voice, " Stop thief! stop thief!" but not 
a constable appeared in sight, so the case seemed 
desperate, and the money lost for ever, when Frank 
observed also what had occurred, and being of an 
active spirit, he flew after the young thief, follow- 
ed closely by Harry. An eager race ensued, up 
one street, and down another, with marvellous rapi- 
dity, while Frank was so evidently gaining ground, 
that the thief at last became terrified, and threw 
away the purse, hoping thus to end the chase; but 
neither of his pursuers paused a moment to pick 
it up, they were so intent upon capturing the little 
culprit himself At length Frank sprang forward 



210 THE ILLUMINATION. 

and caught him by the collar, when a fierce con- 
flict ensued, during which the young thief was so 
ingenious, that lie nearly slipped his arms out of 
his coat, and would have made his escape, leaving 
a tattered garment in their hands, if Harry had not 
observed this trick, and held him by the hair, which, 
as it was not a wig, he could not so easily throw 
off. 

At this moment a large, coarse, ruffianly-looking 
man hurried up to the party, evidently intending 
to rescue the little pickpocket from their custody; 
so Frank called loudlyfor help, while several police 
officers who had been sent by Major Graham, came 
racing along the street, springing their rattles, and 
vociferating " Stop thief!" 

Now the boy struggled more violently than 
ever to disentangle himself, but Frank and Harry 
grasped hold of their prisoner, as if they had been 
a couple of Bow Street officers, till at length the 
tall, fierce man thought it time to be off, though 
not before he had given Harry a blow on the face, 
that caused him to reel back and fall prostrate on 
the pavement. 

" There's a brave little gentleman !" said one of 
the constables, helping him up, while another sc- 
cared the thief. " You ought to be knighted for 
fighting so well ! This boy you have taken is i 
sad fellow ! He broke his poor mother'* heart a 



THE ILLUMINATION. 211 

year since by his wicked ways, and I have long 
wished to catch him. A few weeks on the tread- 
mill now, may save him from the gallows in future." 

" He seems well practised in his business," ob- 
served Major Graham. " T almost deserved, how- 
ever, to lose my pocket-book for bringing it out 
in a night of so much crowding and confusion. 
Some lucky person will be all the richer, though 
I fear it is totally lost to me." 

" But here is your pocket-handkerchief, uncle 
David, if you mean to shed any tears for your 
misfortune," whispered Laura ; " how very lucky 
that you felt it going ! ' v 

" Yes ! and very surprising too, for the trick 
was so cleverly executed. That little rascal might 
steal the teeth out of one's head, without being 
noticed ! When I was in India, the thieves there 
were so expert that they really could draw the 
sheets from under a person sleeping in bed, with- 
out disturbing his slumbers." 

" With me, any person could do that, because 
I sleep so very soundly," observed Frank. " You 
might beat a military drum at my ear, as they do 
in the boys' sleeping-rooms at Sandhurst, and it 
would not have the smallest effect. I scarcely think 
that even a gong would do !" 

" How very different from me," replied Laura. 
" Last night I was awakened by the scratching of 



212 THE ILLUMINATION. 

a mouse nibbling in the wainscot, and soon after 
it ran across my face." 

" Then pray sleep to-night with your mouth 
open, and a piece of toasted cheese in it to catch 
the mouse," said Major Graham. " That is the 
best trap I know !" 

" Uncle David," asked Frank, as they proceeded 
along the street, " if there is any hope of that 
wicked boy being reformed, will you try to have 
him taught better 1 Being so very young he must 
have learned from older people to steal !" 

" Certainly he must ! Tt is melancholy to know 
how carefully mere children are trained to commit 
the very worst crimes, and how little the mind of 
any young boy can be a match for the cunning of 
old, experienced villains like those who lead him 
astray. When once a child falls into the snare of 
such practised offenders, escape becomes as im- 
possible as that of a bird from a lime-twig." 

" So I believe," replied Frank. " Grandmama 
told me that the very youngest children of poor 
people, when first sent to school in London, are 
often waylaid by those old women who sell apples 
in the street, and who pretend to be so good-na- 
tured that they make them presents of fruit. Of 
course they are very acceptable, but after some 
time, those wicked wretches propose that the child 
in return should bring them a book, or anything 



THE ILLUMINATION. 213 

he can pick up at home, which shall be paid for 
in apples and pears. Few little boys have suffi- 
cient firmness not to comply, whether they like it 
or not, and after that the case is almost hopeless ; 
because whenever the poor victim hesitates to steal 
more, those cruel women threaten to inform the 
parents of his misconduct, which terrifies the boy 
into doing anything rather than be found out." 

' ; Oh, how dreadful !" exclaimed Laura. " It all 
begins so smoothly ! No poor little boy could sus- 
pect any danger, and then he becomes a hardened 
thief at once ! " 

" Grandmama says, too, that pickpockets in 
London used to have the stuffed figure of a man 
hung from the roof of their rooms, and covered 
all over with bells, for the boys to practise upon, 
and no one was allowed to attempt stealing on the 
streets, till he could pick the pocket of this dang- 
ling effigy, without ringing one of the many bells 
with which it was ornamented." 

" I think," said Harry, " when the young thieves 
saw that figure hanging in the air, it might have 
reminded them how soon they would share the 
same fate. Even crows take warning when they 
see a brother crow hanging dead in a field." 

"It is a curious thing of cr<:v>\% Harry, that they 
certainly punish thieves among themselves," ob- 
served Major Graham. " In a large rookery, some 



21.4 TJIK ILLUMINATION. 

outcasts arc frequently to be observed living apart 
from the rest, and not allowed to associate with 
their more respectable brethren. I remember hear- 
ing formerly that in the great rookery at Ash- 
grove, -when all the other birds were absent, one 
solitary crow was observed to linger behind, steal- 
ing materials for his neet from those around ; but 
next morning aprodigious uproar was heard among 
the trees, — the cawing became so vociferous, that 
evidently several great orators were agitating the 
croAvd, till suddenly the enraged crows flew in a 
body upon the nest of their dishonest associate, 
and tore it in pieces." 

'Bravo!" cried Frank. "I do like to hear 
about all the odd ways of birds and animals ! Grand- 
main a mentioned lately, that if you catch a crow 
and fasten him down with his back to the ground, 
he makes such an outcry, that all his black brothers 
come wheeling about the place, till one of them at 
last alights to help. Immediately the treacherous 
prisoner grapples hold of his obliging friend, and 
never afterwards lets him escape; so by fastening 
down one after another, wo might entrap the whole 
rookery." 

" I shall try it some day !" cxclaimea Harry 
eagerly. " What fun to hear them a croaking 
and cawing !" 

" Wc shall bo croaking ourselves soon witii 



THE ILLUMINATION. 215 

colds, if we do not hurry home," added uncle David. 
" There is not a thimbleful of light remaining, and 
your grandmama will be impatient to hear all the 
news. This has really been a most adventurous 
night, and I am sure none of us will soon forget it." 

When the whole party entered the drawing-room, 
in a blaze of spirits, all speaking at once, to tell 
Lady Harriet what had occurred, Mrs Crabtree, 
who was waiting to take a couple of little prisoners 
off to bed j suddenly gave an exclamation of astonish- 
ment and dismay as she looked at Harry, who now, 
for the first time since the robber knocked him 
down, approached the light, when he did, to be sure, 
appear a most terrible spectacle ! His jacket was 
bespattered with mud, his shirt frill torn and 
bloody, one eye almost swollen out of his head, and 
the side of his face quite black and blue. 

" What mischief have you been in now, Master 
Harry V cried Mr 3 Crabtree, angrily ; " you will 
not leave a whole bone in your body, nor a whole 
shirt in your drawer !" 

" These are honourable scars, Mrs Crabtree," 
interrupted Major Graham. " Harry has been 
fighting my battles, and gained a great victory ! 
we must illuminate the nursery !" 

Uncle David then told the whole story, with 
many droll remarks about his purse having been 
stolen, and said that, as Harry never complained of 



216 THE ILLUMINATION. 

being hurt, lie never supposed that anything of 
the kind could have occurred; but he felt very much 
pleased to observe how well a certain young gentle- 
man was able to bear pain, as boys must expect 
hard blows in the world, when they had to fight 
their way through life, therefore it was M'cll for 
them to give as few as they could, and to bear with 
fortitude what fell to their own share. Uncle David 
slyly added, that perhaps Harry put up with these 
things all the better for having so much practice in 
the nursery. 

Mrs Crabtree seemed rather proud of Harry's 
manly spirit, and treated him with a little more re- 
spect than usual, saying, she would fetch him some 
hot water to foment his face, if he would go straight 
up stairs with Laura. Kow it very seldom hap- 
pened, that Harry went straight anywhere, for he 
generally swung down the bannisters again, or took 
a leap over any thing he saw on the way, or got on 
some of the tables and jumped off, but this night 
Jichad resolutely intended marching steadily to bed, 
and advanced a considerable May, when aloud shout 
in the street attracted his attention. Harry stop- 
ped, and it was repeated again, so seizing Laura 
by the hand, they flew eagerly into Lady Harriet's 
dressing-room, and throwing open a window, they 
picked up a couple of cloaks that were lying on a 
chair, and both stepped out on a balcony to find 



THE ILLUMINATION. 217 

out what was going on ; and in case any one should 
see them in this unusual place, Harry quietly shut 
down the window, intending to remain only one 
single minute. Minutes run very fast away when 
people are amused, and nothing could he more di- 
verting than the sight they now beheld, for at this 
momenta grand crash exploded of squibs androck- 
ets from the Castlehill, which looked so beautiful 
in the dark, that it seemed impossible to think of 
anything else. Some flew high in the air, and then 
burst into the appearance of twenty fiery serpents 
falling from the sky, others assumed a variety of 
colours, and dropped like flying meteors, looking 
as if the stars were all learning to dance, while 
many rushed into the air and disappeared, leaving 
not a trace behind. Harry and Laura stood per- 
fectly entranced with admiration and delight, till 
the firewovs neither burst, cracked, nor exploded 
any more. 

A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, sing- 
ing the tune of "Meet me by moonlight," and after- 
wards Laura shewed Harry the constellation of 
Orion mentioned in the Bible, which, besides the 
Great Bear, was the only one she had the slightest 
acquaintance with. Neither of them had ever ob- 
served the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and 
now they felt almost alarmed to see them shoot- 
ing like \w°z across the sky, and glittering with 



21.8 THE ILLUMINATION. 

many bright colours, like a rainbow, while Laura 
remembered her grandmama mentioning some days 
ago, that the poor natives of Greenland believe 
these are the spirits of their fathers going forth 
to battle. 

Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, 
to his evening prayers and reading in her dressing- 
room, where it was well known that they were on 
no account to be disturbed. After having read a 
chapter, and talked very seriously about all it was 
intended to teach, they had begun to discuss tho 
prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to be- 
come a midshipman, and he was wondering much 
where his first great Bhip wreck would take place, 
and telling Lady Harriet about the loss of the Ca- 
balvala, where the crew lived for eight days on a 
barren rock, with nothing to eat, but a cask of 
raspberry jam, which accidentally floated within 
their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, 
however, he suddenly paused, and sprang upon his 
feet with an exclamation of astonishment, Avhilo 
Lady Harriet, looking hastily round in the same 
direction, became terrified to observe a couple of 
faces looking in at the window. It was so dark, she 
could not see what they were like, but a moment 
afterwards, tho sash began slowly and heavily open- 
ing, after which two figures leaped into the room, 
while Frank flew to ring a peal at the bell, and 



THE ILLUMINATION. 219 

Lady Harriet Sunk into her own arm-chair, cover 
ing her face with her hands, and nearly fainting 
with fright. 

" Never mind, grandmama ! do not be afraid 1 
it is only us !" cried Harry ; " surely you know 
me!" 

" You!!!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up 
with amazement. " Harry and Laura ! ! impossible! 
how in all the world did you get here! I thought 
you were both in bed half an hour ago ! Tiresome 
boy ! you will be the death of me some time or 
other ! I wonder when you will ever pass a day 
without deserving the bastinado!" 

" Do you not remember the good day last month, 
grandmama, when I had a severe toothache, and 
sat all morning beside the fire? Nobody found fault 
with me then, and I got safe to bed, without a 
single ' Oh fie!' from noon till night." 

" Wonderful, indeed! what a pity I ever allow- 
ed that tooth to be drawn ; but you behaved very 
bravely on the occasion of its being extracted. Now 
take yourselves off! I feel perfectly certain you 
will tell Mrs Crabtree the exact truth about where 
you have been, and if she punishes you, remember 
that it is no more than you deserve. People wh . 
behave ill are their own punishcrs, and should bo 
glad that some one will kindly take the trouble to 
teach them better." 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE POOR BOY. 



Not all the fine things that fine people posses*, 
Should teach them the poor to despise ; 

For 'tis in good manners, and not in good dress, 
That the truest gentility lies. 

The following Saturday morning, Frank, Harry, 
and Laura were assembled before Lady Harriet's 
breakfast hour, talking over all their adventures on 
the night of the illumination ; and many a merry 
laugh was heard while uncle David cracked his 
jokes and told his stories, for he seemed as full 
of fun and spirits as the youngest boy in a play- 
ground. 

" Well, old fellow !" said he, lifting up Harry, 
and suddenly seating him on the high marble 
chimney-piece. " That is the situation where the 
poor little dwarf, Baron Borowloski, was always 
put by his tall wife, when she wished to keep him 
out of mischief, and I wonder Mrs Crabtrec never 
thought of the same plan for you." 



tiie l'oou nov 221 

" Luckily there is no fire, or Harry would soon 
be roasted for the Giant Snap-'em-up's dinner," 
said Frank, laughing; t: he looks up there like a 
Chinese mandarin. Shako your head, Harry, and 
you will do quite as well !" 

" Uncle David ! " cried Harry, eagerly, " pray 
let me see you stand for one moment as you do at 
the club on a cold day, with your feet upon the rug, 
your back to the fire, and your coat-tails under your 
arms ! Pray do, for one minute ! " 

Uncle David did as he was asked, evidently ex- 
pecting the result, which took place, for Harry 
sprang upon his back with the agility of a monkey, 
and they went round and round the room at full 
gallop, during the next five minutes, while Lady 
Harriet said she never saw two such noisy people, 
but it was quite the fashion now, since the king 
of France carried his grandchildren in the same 
way, every morning, a picture of which had lately 
becen shewn to her. 

" Then I hope his majesty getB as good an appe- 
tite with his romp as I have done," replied Major 
Graham, sitting down. "None of your tea and 
toast for me ! that is only fit for ladies. Frank, 
reach me these beef-steaks, and a cup of choco- 
late." 

Harry and Laura now planted themselves at the 
window, gazing at crowds of people who passed, 



222 the pooh boy. 

while, by way of a joke, they guessed what every- 
body came out for, and who they all were. 

"There is a fat cook with abasket under her arm, 
going to market," said Harry. "Did you ever ob- 
serve when Mrs Marmalade comes home, she says 
to grandmama, •' I have desired a leg of mutton to 
come here, my lady ! and I told a goose to be over 
also,' as if the leg of mutton and the goose walked 
here arm-in-arm of themselves." 

" Look at those children, going to see the wild 
beasts," added Laura, " and this little girl is on 
her way to buy a new frock. I am sure she needs 
one ! that old man is hurrying along because he 
is too late for the mail-coach ; and this lady with 
a gown like a yellow daffodil, is going to take root 
in the Botanical Gardens !'' 

" Uncle David, there is the very poorest hoy I 
ever saw !" cried Harry, turning eagerly round , 
" he has been standing in the cold here for ten 
minutes, looking the picture of misery ! he wears 
no hat, and has pulled his long hair to make a bow 
about twenty times. Do come and look at him ! 
he is very pale, and his clothes seem to have been 
made before he began to grow, for they arc so 
much too small, and he is making us many signs 
to open the window. May I do it 1" 

" No ! no ! I never give to chance beggars of 
that kind, especially a young, able-bodied fellow like 



THE POOR BOY, 223 

that, because there are so many needy, deserving 
people whom I visit, who worked as long as they 
could, and whom I know to be sober and honest. 
Most of the money we scatter to street beggars 
goes straight to the gin-shop, and even the very 
youngest children will buy or steal, to get the 
means of becoming intoxicated. Only last week, 
Harry, the landlord of an ale-house at Portobello 
was seen at the head of a long table, surrounded 
with ragged beggar boys about twelve or fourteen 
years of age, who Avere all perfectly drunk, and 
probably your friend might be of the party." 

" Oh no ! uncle David ! this boy seems quite 
sober, and exceedingly clean, though he is so very 
poor !" replied Laura. " His black trousers are 
patched and repatched, his jacket has faded into 
fifty colours, and his shoes are mended in every 
direction, but still he looks almost respectable. 
His face is so thin you might use it for a hatchet ; 
jl wish you would take one little peep, for he seems 
so anxious to speak to us." 

" I daresay that ! we all know what the young- 
ster has to tell ! Probably a wife and six small 
children at home, or, if you like it better, he will 
be a shipwrecked sailor at your service. I know 
the whole affair already ; but if you have sixpence to 
spare, Laura, come with me after breakfast, and 
we shall bestow it on poor, blind Mrs Wilkie, who 



224 THE POOR BOY. 

has boon bed-ridden for the last ten years ; or olu 
paralytic Jemmy Dixon the porter, who worked 
as bng as he was able. If you had twenty more 
sixpences, I could tell you of twenty more people 
who deserve them as much." 

" Very true," added Lady Harriet. "Street beg- 
gars, who are young and able to work, like that boy, 
it is cruelty to encourage. Parents bring up their 
children in profligate idleness, hoping to gain more 
money by lying and cheating than by honest in- 
dustry; and they too often succeed, especially when 
the wicked mothers also starve and disfigure these 
poor creatures, to excite more compassion. We 
must relieve real distress, Harry, and search for it, 
as we would for hidden treasures, because thus we 
shew our love to God and man ; but a large purse 
with easy strings will do more harm than good." 

" Do you remember, Frank, how long I suspect- 
ed that old John Davidsonwasimposinguponme!" 
said Major Graham. " He told such a dismal story 
always, that I never liked to refuse him some assis- 
tance; but yesterday, when he was here, the thought 
struck me by chance to say, ' What a fine supper 
you had last night, John !' You should have scon 
the start he gave, and his look of consternation, 
when lie answered, ' Eh, Sir ! how did ye hear of 
that? We got the turkey very cheap, and none of 
us took more than two glasses of toddy.'" 



THE POOR BOY. 225 

" That boy is pointing to his pockets, and making 
more signs for us to open the window !" exclaimed 
Laura. " What can it all mean ! he seems so very 
anxious !" 

Major Graham threw down his knife and fork — 
rose hastily from breakfast — and flung open the 
window, calling out in rather a loud, angry voice, 
" What do you want, you idle fellow \ It is a per- 
fect shame to see you standing there all morning ! 
Surely you don't mean to say that an active young- 
ster like you would disgrace yourself by begging?" 

" No, Sir ! I want nothing !" answered the boy 
respectfully, but colouring to the deepest scarlet. 
" I never asked for money in my life, and I never 
will." 

" That's right, my good boy !" answered the Ma- 
jor, instantly changing his tone. " What brings 
you here, then V 

" Please, Sir, your servants shut the door in ray 
face, and every body is so hasty like, that I don't 
know what to do. I can't be listened to foraminute, 
though I have got something very particular to say, 
that some one would be glad to hear." 

Major Graham now looked exceedingly vexed 
with himself, for having spoken so roughly to the 
poor boy, who had a thoughtful, mild, but careworn 
countenance, which was extremely interesting, 
while his manner seemed better than his dress- 



226 THE POOK BOY 

Frank was despatched, as a most willing nice 
sengcr, to bring the young stranger up stairs, whilo 
uncle David told Harry that he would take this as 
a lesson to himself ever afterwards, not to judge 
hastily from appearances, because it was impos- 
sible for any one to guess what might be in the 
mind of another ; and he began to hope this boy, 
who was so civil and well-spoken, might yet turn 
out to be a proper, industrious, little fellow. 

'' "Well, my lad ! Is there anything I can do for 
you?" asked Major Graham, when Frank led him 
kindly into the room. " What is your name 1" 

" Evan Mackay, at your service. Please, Sir, 
did you lose a pocket-book last Thursday, with 
your name on the back, and nine gold sovereigns 
inside'?" 

" Yes ! that I did, to my cost ! Have you heard 
anything of it 1 " 

The boy silently drew a parcel from his pocket, 
and without looking up or speaking, he modestly 
placed it on the table, then colouring very deeply, 
he turned away, and hurried towards the door. In 
another minute he would have been off, but Frank 
sprung forward and took hold of his arm, saying, 
in the kindest possible manner," Stop, Evan ! .Stop 
a moment ! That parcel seems to contain all my 
uncle's money. Where did you get it ? Who sent 
it hero?" 



THE TOOK BOW 227 

" I brought it, Sir ! The direction is on the 
pocket-book, so there could be no mistake " 

" Did you find it yourself, then V 

" Yes ! it was lying in the street that night 
when I ran for a doctor to see my mother, who is 
dying. She told mo now to come back directly, Sir, 
so I must be going." 

" But let us give you something for being so 
honest," Baid Frank. " You are a fine fellow, and 
you deserve to be well rewarded." 

" I only did my duty, Sir. Mother always says 
we should do right for conscience' sake, and not 
for a reward." 

" Yes ! but you are justly entitled to this," said 
Major Graham, taking a sovereign out of the purse. 
" I shall do more for you yet, but in the mean time 
here is what you have honestly earned to-day." 

" If I thought so, Sir," said the poor boy, 

looking wistfully at the glittering coin. " If I was 

quite sure there could be no harm ; but I 

must speak first to mother about it, Sir ! She has 
Been better days once, and she is sadly afraid of 
my ever taking charity. Mother mends my clothes, 
and teaches me herself, and Avorks very hard in 
other ways, but she is quite bed-ridden, and we 
have scarcely anything but the trifle I make by 
^ork'ngf in the fields. It is very difficult to get 



TUB TOOR BOV 

a job at all sometimes, and if yon could put mc in 
the way of earning that money, Sir, it would make 
mother very happy. She is a little particular, and 
would not taste a morsel that I could get by ask- 
ing for it." 

" That is being very proud !" said Harry. 

" No, Sir ! it is not from pride," replied Evan 
" but mother says a merciful God has provided fol 
her many years, and she will not begin to distrust 
Him now. Her hands are always busy, and her 
heart is always cheerful. She rears many littlo 
plantsbyher bedside, which we sell, and sheteaches 
a neighbour's children, besides sewing for any one 
who will employ her ; for mother's maxim always 
was, that there can be no such thing as an idle 
Christian." 

" Very true !" said Lady Harriet. •' Even the 
apostles were mending their nets and labouring 
hard, whenever they were not teaching. Either 
the body or the mind should always be active." 

" If you saw mother, that is exactly her way ; 
for she does not eat the bread of idleness. Were a 
stranger to offer us a blanket or a dinner in cha- 
rity, she would rather go without any than take 
it. A very kind lady brought her a gown one day, 
but mother Avould only have it if she were allowed 
to knit aa many stockings as would pay for the 



THE POOR BOY. 229 

stuff. I dare not take a penny more for my work 
than is due ; for she says, if once I begin receiv- 
ing alms, I might get accustomed to it." 

" That is the good old Scotch feeling of former 
days," observed Major Graham. " It was some- 
times carried too far then, but there is not enough 
of it now. Your mother should have lived fifty 
years ago." 

" You may say so indeed, Sir ! We never had 
a drop of broth from the soup-kitchen all winter, 
and many a day we shivered without a fire, though 
the society offered her sixpence a-week for coals , 
but she says, ' The given morsel is soon done ;' 
and now, many of our neighbours who wasted what 
they got, feel worse off than we, who are accus- 
tomed to suffer want, and to live upon our honest 
labour. Long ago if mother went out to tea with 
any of our neighbours, she always took her own 
tea along with us." 

" But this is being prouder than anybody else," 
observed Frank, smiling. " If my grandmama 
goes out to a tea-party^ she allows her friends to 
provide the fare." 

" Very likely, Sir ! but that is different when 

people can give as good as they get Last week 

a kind neighbour sent us some nice loaf-bread, but 

mother made me take it back, with her best thanks, 

and she preferred her own oat-cake. She is mere 

16 



230 toe roon dot. 

ready to give than to take, Sir, and divides her last 
bannock, sometimes, with anybody who is worse 
off than ourselves." 

" Poor fellow ! " said Frank, compassionately ; 
" how much you must often have suffered !" 

" Suffered," said the boy, with sudden emotion. 
" Yes ! I have suffered ! It matters nothing to 
be clothed in rags, — to be cold and hungry now ! 
There are worse trials than that ! My father died 
last year, crushed to death in a moment by his own 
cart-wheels, — my brothers and sisters have all 
gone to the grave, scarcely able to afford the me- 
dicines that might have cured them, — and I am left 
alone with my poor dying mother. It is a comfort 
that life does not last very long, and we may trust 
all to God while it lasts." 

" Could you take us to see Mrs Mackay 1" said 
Major Graham, kindly. " Laura, get your bonnet." 

" Oh Sir ! that young lady could not stay half 
a minute in the place where my poor mother lives 
now. It is not a pretty cottage, such as we read 
of in tracts, but a dark, cold room, up a high stair, 
in the narrowest lane you ever saw, with nothing 
to sit on but an old chest." 

" Never mind that, Evan," replied Major 
Graham. " You and your mother have a spirit of 
honour and honesty that might shamo many who 
are lying on sofas of silk and damask. I respect 



THE POOR BOY. 231 

her, and shall assist you if it be possible. Shew 
us the way." 

Many dirty closes and narrow alleys were thread- 
ed by the whole party, before they reached a dark, 
ruinous staircase, where Eyan paused and looked 
round, to see whether Major Graham still ap- 
proached. He then slowly mounted one flight of 
ancient crumbling steps after another, lighted by 
patched and broken windows, till at last they ar- 
rived at a narrow wooden flight, perfectly dark, 
After groping to the summit, they perceived a 
time-worn door, the latch of which was lifted by 
Evan, who stole noiselessly into the room, followed 
by uncle David, and the wondering children. 

There, a large, cold room, nearly empty, but 
exceedingly clean, presented itself to their notice. 
In one corner stood a massive old chest of carved 
oak, surrounded with a perfect glow of geraniums 
and myrtles in full blossom ; beside which were 
arranged a large antique Bible, a jug of cold water, 
and a pile of coarsely-knitted worsted stockings. 
Beyond these, on a bed of clean straw, lay a tall, 
emaciated old woman, apparently in the last stage 
of life, with a face haggard by suffering ; and yet 
her thin, withered hands were busily occupied with 
needle-work, while in low, faltering tones, she 
chanted these words ; 



232 THE POOR BOY 

" When from the dust of death I rise, 
To claim my mansion in the skies, 
This, this shall be my only plea, 
Jesus hath liv'd and died for mc " 

" Mother!" said Evan, wishing to arouse her at- 
tention. " Look, mother ! " 

"Good day, Mrs Mackay," added Major Graham, 
in a voice of great consideration, while she lan- 
guidly turned her head towards the door. " I have 
come to thank you for restoring my purse this 
morning." 

" You are kindly welcome, Sir! What else could 
we do !" replied she, in a feeble, tremulous voice. 
" The money was yours, and the sooner it went out 
of our hands the better." 

" It was perfectly safa while it stayed there," 
added Major Graham, not affecting to speak in a 
homely accent, nor putting on any airs of conde- 
scension at all, but sitting down on the old chest, 
as if he had never sat on anything but a chest in 
his life before, and looking at the clean, bare floor 
with as much respect as if it had been a Turkey 
carpet. " Your little boy's pocket seems to be 
as safe as the Bank of Scotland." 

" That is very true, Sir ! My boy is honest ; 
and it is well to keep a good conscience, as that is 
all he has in this world to live for. Many have a 
heavy conscience to carry with a heavy purse : but 



the pooh boy. 233 

these lie need not envy. If we are poor in tins 
world, Ave are rich in faith ; and I trust the money 
was not even a temptation to Evan, because he 
has learned from the best of all Teachers, that it 
would ' profit him nothing to gain the whole world, 
and lose his own soul.' " 

" True, Mrs Mackay ! most true ! We have 
come here this morning to request that you and he 
will do me the favour to accept of a small recom- 
pense." 

" We are already rewarded, Sir ! This has been 
an opportunity of testifying to our own hearts that 
we desire to do right in the eye of God. At the 
same time, it was Providence who kindly directed 
my son's steps to the place where that money was 
lying ; and if anything seems justly due to poor 
Evan, let him have it. My wants are few, and 
must soon be ended. But, oh ! when I look at 
that boy, and think of the long years he may be 
struggling with poverty and temptation, my heart 
melts within me, and my whole spirit is broken. 
Faith itself seems to fail, and I could be a beggar 
for him now ! It is not money I would ask Sir, 
because that might soon be spent ; but get him 
some honest employment, and I will thank you on 
my very knees." 

Evan seemed startled at the sudden energy of 
his mother's manner, and tears sprung intohis eyes 



s 



234 THE POOK HOY. 

ivhile she spoke with a degree of agitation so dif- 
ferent from what he had ever heard before ; but ho 
struggled to conceal his feelings, and she continued, 
with increasing emotion, 

" Bodily suffering, and many a year of care and 
sorrow, are fast closing their work on me. The 
moments are passing away like a weaver's shuttle ; 
and if I had less anxiety about Evan, how blessed 
a prospect it would appear ; but that is the bitter- 
ness of death to me now- My poor, poor boy ! 
I would rather he was in the way of earning his 
livelihood, than that he got a hundred a- year. Tell 
me, Sir ! — and, oh ! consider you are speaking to a 
dying creature — can you possibly give him any 
creditable employment, where he might gain a crust 
of bread, and be independent !" 

" I honour your very proper feeling on the sub- 
ject, Mrs Mackay, and shall help Evan to the best 
of my ability," replied Major Graham, in a tone of 
seriousness and sincerity. " To judge of these fine 
geraniums, he must be fond of cultivating plants 
and we want an under gardener in the country ; 
therefore he shall have that situation without loss 
of time." 

" Oh, mother! mother! speak no more of dying! 
You will surely get better now !" said Evan, look- 
ing up, while his thin, pale face assumed a moment- 
ary glow of pleasure. " Try now to got better J 



THE I'OOU BOY 235 

I never could work as well, if you were not wait- 
ing to see me come home ! We shall be so happy 
now !" 

" Yes ! I am happy !" said Mrs Maekay, solemn- 
ly looking towards heaven, with an expression 
that could not be mistaken. " The last cord is 
cut that bound me to the earth ! May you, Sir, 
find hereafter the blessings that are promised to 
those who visit the fatherless and widows in tiioir 
afflicti»8!i." 



CHAPTER XII. 



ME YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

When hands are link'd that dread to part, 
And heart is met by throbbing heart ; 
Ah ! bitter, bitter is the smart 
Of them that bid farewell. 

Ueber. 

Next Monday morning, at an early hour, Frank 
had again found his way with great difficulty to the 
house of Widow Mackay, where ho spent all his 
pocket-money on two fine scarlet geraniums. If 
they had been nettles or cabbages, he would have 
felt the same pleasure inbuying them; and liis eyes 
sparkled with animation when he entered uncle 
David's room, carrying them in his hand, and say- 
ing, " I was so glad to have some money ! I could 
spare it quite well. There is no greater pleasure 
in being rich than to help such people as Evan 
Mackay and his poor, sick mother !" 

" Yes, Frank, I often wonder that any enjoyment 
of wealth can be considered c<iual to the exercise 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 237 

of kind feelings, for surely the most delightful sen- 
sation in this world is, to deserve and receive the 
grateful affection of those around us," replied 
Major Graham. " What a wretched being Eobra- 
son Crusoe was on the desert island alone, though 
he found chests of gold ; and yet many people are 
as unblessed in the midst of society, who selfishly 
hoard fortunes for themselves, unmindful of the 
many around who ought to be gratefully receiving 
their daily benefits." 

" I was laughing to read lately of the "West India 
slaves, who collected money all their lives in an old 
stocking," said Frank, " and who watched with de- 
light as it filled from year to year ; but the bank is 
only a great stocking, where misers in this country 
lay up treasures for themselves which they arc 
never to enjoy, though, too often, they lay up nv 
treasures for themselves in a better world." 

" I frequently think, Frank, if all men were as 
liberal, kind, and forbearing to each other as the 
Holy Scriptures enjoin, and if we lived as soberly, 
temperately, and godly together, what a paradise 
this world would become ; for many of our worst 
sufferings are brought on by our own folly, or the 
unkindness of others. And certainly, if we wish 
to fancy the wretchedness of hell itself, it would 
only be necessary to imagine what the earth would 
become if all fear of God and man were removed, 



238 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

and every person lived as his own angry, selfish 
passions would dictate. Great are the blessings 
we owe to Christianity, for making the world even 
what it is now, and yet greater would those bless- 
ings be, if we obeyed it better." 

"That is exactly what grandmama says, and that 
we must obey the Gospel from love and gratitude 
to God. rather than from fear of punishment or hope 
of reward, which is precisely what we saw in poor 
Widow Mackay and Evan, who seemed scarcely to 
expect a recompense for behaving so honestly." 

" That was the more remarkable in them, as few 
Christians now are above receiving a public recom- 
pense for doing their duty to God. Men of the 
world have long rewarded each other with public 
dinners and pieces of plate, to express their utmost 
praise and admiration ; but of late I never open a 
newspaper without reading accounts of one clergy- 
man or another, who has been ' honoured with a 
public breakfast !' when he is presented by an ad- 
miring circle with ' a gold Match and appendages !' 
or a Bible with a complimentary inscription, or a 
gown, or a pair of bands, worked by the ladies of 
his congregation ! and all this, for labouring among 
his own people in his own sphere of duty ! What 
would Archbishop Leighton and the old divines 
have said to any one who attempted to rouse their 
vanity in this way, with the praise of men !" 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 239 

" What you say reminds me, uncle David," said 
Frank, " that we have been asked to present our 
Universal-Knowledge Master with a silver snuff- 
box, as a testimonial from the scholars in my class, 
because he is going soon to Van Diemen's Land, 
therefore, I hope you will give me half-a-crown to 
subscribe, or I shall be quite iv disgrace with him." 

" Not one shilling shall you receive from me, my 
good friend, for any such purpose ! A snuff-box, 
indeed ! your master ought to shew his scholars 
an example of using none ! a filthy waste of health, 
money, and time. Such testimonials should only bo 
given, as Archbishop Magee says, to persons who 
have got into some scrape, which makes their re- 
spectability doubtful. If my grocei is ever pre- 
sented with a pair of silver tongs, I shall think he 
has been accused of adulterating the sugar, and 
give over employing him directly." 

"Laura," said Frank, " you will be having a sil- 
ver thimble voted to you for hemming six pocket- 
handkerchiefs in six years." 

" I know one clergyman, Dr Seton, who con- 
scientiously refused a piece of plate, which was 
about to be presented in this way," continued Ma- 
jor Graham. " He accidentally heard that such a 
subscription was begun among the rich members 
of his congregation, and instantly stopped it, say- 
ing, ' Let your testimonial consist in a regular at- 



240 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

tendance at church, and let my sole reward be en- 
joyed hereafter, when you appear as my crown of 
joy and rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus 
Christ at his coming.' " 

Sir Edward Graham's particular friend, Captain 
Gordon, at last wrote to say, that the Thunder- 
bolt, 74, having been put in commission for three 
years, was about to sail for the African station, 
therefore he wished Frank to join without delay 
and as a farther mark of his regard, he promised 
that he would endeavour to keep his young protege 
employed until he had served out his time, because 
a midshipman once paid off, was like a stranded 
whale, not very easily set afloat again. 

Lady Harriet sighed when she read the letter, 
and looked paler all that day, but she knew that 
it was right and necessary for Frank to go, there- 
fore she said nothing to distress him on the occa- 
sion, only in her prayers and explanations of the 
Bible that evening, there was a deeper tone of feel- 
ing than ever, and a cast of melancholy, which had 
rarely been the case before, while she spoke much of 
that meeting in a better world which is the surest 
hope and consolation of those Christians who sepa- 
rate on earth, and who know not what a day, and 
still less what many years, may bring forth. 

Major Graham tried to put a cheerful fa<'c on the 
matter also, though lie evidently felt very sorry in 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN - . 241 

deed about parting with Frank, and took him out 
a long walk to discuss his future prospects, saying, 
" Now you are an officer and a gentleman, entitled 
therefore to be treated with new respect and at- 
tention, by all your brother officers, naval or mili- 
tary, in His Majesty's service." 

Frank himself, being a boy of great spirit and 
enterprise, felt glad that the time had really come 
for his being afloat, and exarui»ing all the world 
over with his own eyes ; but he said that his heart 
seemed as if it had been put in a swing, it fell so 
low when he thought of leaving his dear, happy 
home, and then it rose again higher than ever at 
the ver j idea of being launched on the wide ocean, 
and going to the countries he had so often read of, 
where battles had been fought and victories won. 

" Frank !" said Peter Grey, who was going to 
join the Thunderbolt in about a fortnight after- 
wards, " you have no idea how beautiful I looked 
in uniform to-day ! I tried mine on, and felt so im- 
patient to use my dirk, I could have eat my dinner 
with it, instead of employing a common knife." 

" You never forget to be hungry, Peter," said 
Frank, laughing. " But now you are like the old 
Lord Buchan, who used to say he could cook his 
porridge in his helmet, and stir it with his broad- 
sword." 

" I hope " said Maj^r Graham, " you both in- 



242 THE YOUNG- MIDSHIPMAN. 

tend to become very distinguished officers, and to 
leave a name at "which the world grows pale." 

" Certainly," answered Peter. " All the old 
heroes we read of shall be mere nobodies com- 
pared to me ! I mean to lose a leg or an arm in 
every battle," 

" Till nothing is left of you but your shirt-collar 
and shoe-strings," interrupted Frank, laughing. 

" No ! no ! What remains of me at last shall 
die a Peer of the realm," continued Peter. " Wo 
must climb to the top of the tree, Frank ! "What 
title do you think I should take?" 

" Lord Cockpit would suit you best for some 
time, Peter ! It will not be so easy a business to 
rise as you think. Every one can run a race, but 
very few can win," observed Major Graham. " The 
rarest thing on earth is to succeed in being both 
conspicuous and respectable. Any dunce may 
easily be either the one or the other, but the chief 
puzzle with most men is, how to be both. In your 
profession there are great opportunities, but at 
the same time let me warn you, that the sea is not 
a bed of roses." 

" No, uncle David ! but I hope it will become a 
field of laurels to us," replied Frank, laughing. 
" Now tell me in real earnest who you think was 
the greatest of our naval heroes till now, when 
Peter is to cut them all out" 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 243 

" He must wait a few years. It is a long ladclor 
to run up before reaching the top. In France, the 
king's sons are all born Field-Marshals, but no- 
body in this country is born an Admiral. The 
great Lord Duncan served during half a century 
before gaining his most important victory ; but 
previous to that, he paved the way to success, not 
by mere animal courage alone, but by being so 
truly good and religious a man, that his extraordi- 
nary firmness and benevolence of character gained 
the confidence of all those who served with him, 
and therefore half his success in battle was owing 
to his admirable conduct during peace." 

" So I have heard ! " replied Frank ; " and when 
there was mutiny in every other ship, the Admi- 
ral's own crew remained faithful to hirn. How 
much better it is to be obeyed from respect and 
attachment than from fear, which is a mean feel- 
ing that I hope neither to feel myself, nor to excite 
in others. I wish to be like Nelson, who asked, 
' What is fear ? I never saw it !' " 

" Yes, Frank ! Nelson was said to be ' brave as 
a lion, and gentle as a lamb.' Certainly both lie 
and Lord Duncan were pre-eminently great ; but 
neither Lord Duncan nor any other enlightened 
Christian would have said what Lord Nelson did, 
with lils latest breath — ' I have not been a great 
sinner !' No mortal could lift up his eyes at the 



244 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

day of judgment, and repeat those words again ; 
for every man that breathes the breath of life is a 
great sinner. We are living in God's own world 
without remembering him continually; and amidst 
thousands of blessings we disobey him. The chief 
purpose for which men are created, is to glorify 
God, and to prepare for entering his presence in 
a better world ; but instead of doing so, we live 
as if there were no other object to live for, than 
our own pleasures and amusements on earth. How, 
then, can we be otherwise than great sinners ! I 
hope, Frank, that you will endeavour to be, like 
Lord Duncan, not merely a good officer, but also 
a good Christian ; for, besides fighting the battles 
of your country, you must gain a great victory over 
yourself, as all men must either conquer their own 
evil dispositions, or perish for ever." 

Lady Harriet was particularly earnest in en- 
treating Frank to write frequently home, observ- 
ing, that she considered it a religious duty in all 
children to shew their parents this attention, as 
the Bible says, that " a wise son maketh a glad 
father," and that "the father of the righteous shall 
greatly rejoice ;" but, on the contrary, too many 
young persons leave their parents to mourn in sus- 
pense and anxiety as to the health and happiness 
of those whom they love more than they can ever 
love any one else. 



THE YOUXG MIDSHIPMAN. 24.*> 

" Tell us of every thing that interests you, aud 
even all about the spouting whales, flying fish, and 
dying dolphins, which you will of course see," said 
Laura. " Be sure to write us also how many al- 
batrosses you shoot, and whether you are duly 
introduced to Neptune at the Cape." 

" Yes, Laura ! But Bishop Heber's Journal, or 
any other book describing a voyage to the Cape, 
mentions exactly the same thing. It will quite 
bring me home again when I speak to you all on 
paper ; and I shall be able to fancy what every- 
body will say when my letter is read. Mrs Darwin 
sent for me this morning on particular business ; 
and it was to say that she wished me, in all the 
strange countries where the Thunderbolt touched, 
to employ my spare moments in catching butter- 
flies, that as many as possible might be added to 
her museum." 

" Capital ! How like Mrs Darwin !" exclaimed 

Major Graham, laughing. " You will of course 

be running all over Africa, hat in hand, pursuing 

painted butterflies, till you get a coup de soleil, 

like my friend Watson, who was killed by one. 

Poor fellow ! I was with him then, and it was a 

frightful scene. He wheeled round several times 

in a sort of convulsion, till he dropped down dead 

in my arms." 

" I shall gild the legs and bills of some ducka 

17 



240 THE YOUNU MIDSHIPMAN. 

before leaving home, and send them to her as a 
present from Sierra Leone," said Peter. " Tlie 
wings might be dyed scarlet, which would look 
quite foreign ; and if an elephant falls in my way, 
it shall be stuffed and forwarded by express." 

" Uncle David ! Do you remember what fun wo 
had, when you sent Mrs Darwin that stuffed bear 
in a present ! I was desired to announce that a 
foreigner of distinction had arrived to stay at her 
house. What a bustle she was in on hearing that 
he brought letters of introduction from you, and 
intended to remain some time. Then we told her 
that he could not speak a word of English, and 
brought ' a Pole' with him ; besides which he had 
once been a great dancer. Oh ! how amusing it 
was, when she at last ventured into the passage 
to be introduced, and saw her fine stuffed bear." 

" Whatever people collect," said Peter, " every 
good-natured person assists. I mean to begin 
a collection of crooked sixpences immediately ; 
therefore, pray never spend another, but give mo 
as many as you can spare ; and the more crooked 
the better." 

" Sing a a&ng a sixpence !" said Frank, laugh- 
ing. " Laura should begin to collect diamonds for 
a necklace, and perhaps it might be all ready be- 
fore she com(>s out. I shall return home on pur- 
pose to see you then, Laura." 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 247 

"Pray do, Master Frank," said Mrs Crabtree, 
with more than usual kindness ; " we shall have 
great rejoicings on the occasion of seeing you hack 
— an ox roasted alive, as they do in England, and 
all that sort of tomfooleries. I'll dance a jig then 
myself for joy ! — you certainly are a wonderful 
good hoy, considering that I had not the managing 
of you." 

Frank's departure was delayed till after the ex- 
amination of his school, because Mr Hannay had 
requested, that, being the best scholar there, he 
might remain to receive a whole library of prize- 
books and a whole pocketful of medals ; for, as 
Peter remarked, " Frank Graham deserved any re- 
ward, because he learned his lessons so perfectly, 
that he could not say them wrong even if he 
wished !" 

Harry and Laura were allowed to attend on the 
great occasion, that they might witness Frank's 
success ; and never, certainly, had they seen any- 
thing so grand in their lives before ! A hundred 
and forty boys, all dressed in white trousers and 
yellow gloves, were seated in rows, opposite to six 
grave, learned-looking gentlemen, in wigs and spec- 
tacles, who seemed as if they would condemn all 
the scholars to death ! 

The colour mounted into Harry's cheeks with 
delight, and the tears rushed into his eyes, when 



248 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

lie eaw Frank, whose face was radiant with good 
humour and happiness, take his place as head hoy 
in the school. All his companions had crowded 
round Frank as he entered, knowing that this wag 
his last appearance in the class ; while he spoke 
a merry or a kind word to each, leaning on the 
shoulder of one, and grasping the hand of another 
with cordial kindness ; for he liked everybody, and 
everybody liked him. No one envied Frank being 
dux, because they knew how hard he worked for 
that place, and how anxious he had been to help 
every other boy in learning as cleverly as himself; 
for all the boobies would have become duxes if 
Frank could have assisted than to rise, while many 
an idler had been made busy by his attention and 
advice. No boy ever received, in one day, more 
presents than Frank did on this occasion from his 
young friends, who spent all their pocket-money 
in pen-knives and pencil-cases, which were to be 
kept by Frank, in remembrance of them, as long 
as he lived ; and some of his companions had a 
tear in their eye on bidding him farewell, which 
pleased him more than all their gifts. 

Major Graham took his place, with more gravity 
than usual, among the judges appointed to dis- 
tribute the prizes ; and now, during more than two 
hours, the most puzzling questions that could bo 
invented were put to every scholar in succession. 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 219 

while Frank seemed always ready with an answer, 
and not only spoke for himself, but often good- 
naturedly prompted his neighbours, in so low a 
tone that no one else heard him. His eyes bright- 
ened, and his face grew red with anxiety, while 
even his voice shook at first ; but before long 
Frank collected all his wits about him, and could 
construe Latin or repeat Greek with perfect ease 
till at length the whole examination was concluded, 
and the great Dr Clifford, who had lately come all 
the way from Oxford, was requested to preser-t 
the prizes. Upon this he rose majestically from 
his arm-chair, and made a long speech, filled as 
full as it could hold with Latin and Greek. He 
praised Homer and Horace for nearly twenty min- 
utes, and brought in several lines of Virgil, after 
which he turned to Frank, saying, in a tone of 
great kindness and condescension, though at the 
same time exceedingly pompous, 

" It seems almost a pity that this young gen- 
tleman — already so very accomplished a scholar 
— who is, I may say, a perfect multum in parvo, 
should prematurely pause in his classical career 
to enter the navy ; but in every situation of life 
his extraordinary activity of mind, good temper, 
courage, and ability, must render him an honour to 
his country and his profession." 

Dr Clifford now glanced over the list of prizes, 



250 THE YOUNG MIDSHII'MAW. 

and read aloud—" First prize for Greek— Master 
Graham !" 

Frank walked gracefully forward, coloured, and 
bowed, Avhile a few words of approbation were said 
to him, and a splendidly-bound copy of Euripides 
was put into his hands by Dr Clifford, who then 
hastily read over the catalogue of prizes to him- 
self, in an audible yoice, and in a tone of great 
surprise, 

" First prize for Latin ! — Master Graham ! First 
for algebra, — first for geography, — first for ma- 
thematics,— all Master Graham ! ! !— and last, not 
least, a medal for general good conduct, which 
the boys are allowed to bestow upon the scholar 
they think most deserving— and here stands the 
name of Master Graham again ! !" 

Dr Clifford paused, while the boys all stood up 
for a moment and clapped their hands with en- 
thusiam, as a token of rejoicing at the destination 
of their own medal. 

For the first time Frank was now completely 
overcome, — he coloured more deeply than before, 
and looked gratefully round, first at his compan- 
ions, then at his master, and last at Major Graham, 
who had a tear standing in his eye when he smiled 
upon Frank, and held out his hand. 

Frank's lip quivered for a moment, as if he 
■would burst into tears, but with a strong effort 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 251 

lie recovered himself, and affectionately grasping 
his uncle's hand, hastily resumed his place on the 
bench, to remain there while his companions re- 
ceived the smaller prizes awarded to them. 

Meantime Harry had been watching Frank with 
a feeling of joy and pride, such as he never ex- 
perienced before, and could scarcely refrain from 
saying to every person near him, " That is my 
brother !'' He looked at Frank long and earnestly, 
wishing to be like him, and resolving to follow his 
good example at school. He gazed again and 
again, with new feelings of pleasure and admira- 
tion, till gradually his thoughts became melan- 
choly, while remembering how soon they must be 
separated ; and suddenly the terrible idea darted 
into his mind, " Perhaps we never may meet 
again !" Harry tried not to think of this ; he 
turned his thoughts to other subjects ; he forced 
himself to look at anything that was going on, but 
still these words returned with mournful appre- 
hension to his heart, " Perhaps we never may 
meet again !" 

Frank's first action, after the examination had 
been concluded, was hastily to gather up all his 
books, and bring a sight of them to Harry ami 
Laura ; but what was his astonishment when, in- 
stead of looking at the orizes, Harry suddenly 



252 THE YOUNG MII>.<iIirJlAN 

threw his arms round his neck, and burst ir.to 
tears ! 

" My dear, dear boy ! what has happened !" ex- 
claimed Frank, affectionately embracing him, and 
looking much surprised. " Tell me, dear Harry, 
has anything distressed you?" 

" I don't know very well, Frank ! but you are 
going away,— and — and — I wish I had been a bet- 
ter boy ! I would do anything you bid me now ! 
— but I shall never be so happy again — no ! never, 
without you." 

" But, dear Harry ! you Mill have Laura and 
grandinama, and uncle David, all left, and I am 
coming back some day J Oh ! what a happy meet- 
ing we shall have then !" said Frank, while the 
tears stood in his eyes, and drawing Harry's arm 
within his own, they walked slowly away together. 

" I am very, very anxious for you and Laura 
to be happy," continued Frank, in the kindest 
manner ; " but, dear Harry, will you not take more 
care to do as you are bid, and not always to pre- 
fer doing what you like ! Mrs Crabtree would not 
be half so terrible if you did not provoke her by 
some new tricks every day. I almost like her 
myself; for as the old proverb says, ' Her bark is 
worse than her bite ;' and she often reminds me of 
that funny old fable, where the mice were moro 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 253 

afraid of the loud, fierce-looking cock, tlian of the 
sleek, smooth-looking cat, for there arc people car- 
rying gentler tongues yet quite as difficult to deal 
with. At the same time, seeing how uncomfort- 
able you and Laura both feel with Mrs Crahtrec, 
[ have written a letter to papa, asking, as my last 
and only request on leaving home, that he will make 
a change of ministry, and he is always so very kind, 
that I i'efcl sure he will grant it." 

" How good cf you, Frank!" said Harry. " I 
am sure it is our own faults very often when wo 
are in disgrace, for we arc seldom punished till 
we deserve it ; but I am so sorry you are going 
away, that I can think of nothing else." 

" So am I, very sorry indeed ; but my best com- 
fort, when far from home, would be, to think that 
you and Laura are happy, which will be the case 
when you become more watchful to please grand- 
mama." 

" That is very true, Frank ! and I would rather 
offend twenty Mrs Crabtrecs than one grandmama; 
but perhaps uncle David may send me to school now, 
when I shall try to be like you, sitting at the top of 
the class, and getting prizes for good behaviour." 

" Well, Harry ! my pleasantest days at school 
have been those when I was busiest, and you will 
find the same thing. How delightful it was, going 
over and over my tasks till they were quite perfect, 



254 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

and then rushing out to the play-ground, where my 
mind got a rest, while my body was active ; you 
know it is seldom that both mind and body work 
at once, and the best way of resting the one is, to 
make the other labour That is probably the reason 5 
Harry, why games are never half so pleasant as 
after hard study." 

" Perhaps," replied Harry, doubtfully; " but T 
always hate anything that I am obliged to do." 

" Then never be a sailor, as I shall be obliged 
to do fifty things a-day that I would rather not ; 
for instance, to get up in the middle of the night, 
when very likely dreaming about being at home 
again ; but, as grandmama says, it is pleasant to 
have some duties, for life would not get well on 
without them." 

" Yes— perhaps— I don't know !— we could find 
plenty to do ourselves, without anybody telling us. 
I should like to-morrow, to watch the boys play- 
ing at cricket, and to see the races, and the Dio- 
rama, and in the evening to shoot our bows and 
arrows." 

" My good Sir ! what the better would you, or 
anybody else, be of such a life as that ! Not a thing 
in this world is made to be useless, Harrv ; the. vcrv 
weeds that grow in the ground are for some service- 
able purpose, and you would not wish to be the only 
creature on earth living entirely for yourself. Tt 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 255 

would be better if neither of us had ever been born, 
than that the time and opportunities which God 
gives us for improving ourselves and doing good to 
others, should all be wasted. Let me hope, Harry, 
when I am away, that you will often consider how 
dull grandmama may then feel, and how happy you 
might make her by being very attentive and obe- 
dient." 

" Yes, Frank ! but I could never fill your place ! 
— that is quite impossible! Nobody can do that!" 

" Try ! — only try, Harry ! Grandmama is very 
easily pleased when people do their best. She would 
not have felt so well satisfied with me, if that had 
not been the case." 

" Frank !" said Harry, sorrowfully, " I feel as 
if ten brothers were going away instead of one, for 
you are so good to me ! I shall be sure to men- 
tion you in my prayers, because that is all I can 
do for you now." 

" Not all, Harry ! though that is a great deal; 
you must write to me often, and tell me what makes 
you happy or unhappy, for I shall be more inter- 
ested than ever, now that we are separated. Tell 
ine everything about my school-fellows, too, and 
about Laura. There is no corner of tho wide world 
where I shall not think of you both every day, and 
feel anxious about the very least thing that con- 
cerns vou. ' 



256 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

" My dear boys !" said Major Graham, who had 
joined them some moments before, " it is fortunate 
that you have both lived always in the same home ; 
for that will make you love each other affection- 
ately, as long as you live. In England, children 
of one family are all scattered to different schools, 
without any person seeming to care whether they 
are attached or not, therefore their earliest and 
warmest friendships are formed with strangers of 
the same age, whom they perhaps never see again, 
after leaving school. In that case, brothers have 
no happy days of childhood to talk over in future 
life, as you both have, — no little scrapes to remem- 
ber, that they got into together, — no pleasures en- 
joyed at the same moment to smile at the recol- 
lection of, and no friction of their tempers in youth, 
such as makes everything go on smoothly between 
brothers when they grow older; therefore, when at 
last grown up and thrown together, they scarcely 
feel more mutual friendship and intimacy than any 
other gentlemen testify towards each other." 

"I daresay that is very true," said Frank. " Tom 
Brownlow tells me when his three brothers come 
home from Eton, Harrow, and Durham, they quar- 
rel so excessively, that sometimes no two of them 
are on speaking terms." 

'•'Not at all improbable," observed Major Graham, 
" In everything we see how much better God's ar« 



THE YOUSG MIDSHIPMAN. 257 

rangcments are than our own. Families were in- 
tended to be like a little world in themselves — old 
people to govern the young ones — young people to 
make their elders cheerful — grown-up brothers and 
sisters to shew their juniors a good example — awl 
children to be playthings and companions to thei; 
seniors ; but that is all at an end in the preser.S 
system." 

"Old Andrew says that large families 'squander' 
themselves all over the earth now," said Frank, 
laughing. 

" Yes ! very young children are thrust into pre- 
paratory schools — older boys go to distant aca- 
demies — youths to College — and young men are 
shipped off abroad, while who among them all can 
say his heart is in his? own home 1 Parents, in the 
mean time, finding no occupation or amusement in 
educating their children, begin writing books, per- 
haps theories of education, or novels ; and try to 
fill up the rest of their useless hours with plays, 
operas, concerts, balls, or clubs. If people could 
only know what is the best happiness of this life, 
it certainly depends on being loved by those we be- 
long to ; for nothing can be called peace on earth, 
which does not consist in family affection, built on 
a strong foundation of religion and morality." 

Sir Edward Graham felt very proud of Frank, as 
all gentlemen are of their eldest sons, and wrote a 



258 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

most affectionate letter on the occasion of his going 
to sea, promising to meet him at Portsmouth, and 
lamenting that he still felt so ill and melancholy 
he could not return home, hut meant to try whether 
the haths in Germany would do him any good. In 
this letter was enclosed what he called " Frank's 
first prize-money," the largest sum the young mid- 
shipman had ever seen in his life, and before it had 
been a day in his possession, more than the half 
was spent on presents to his friends. Not a single 
person seemed to he forgotten except himself ; for 
Frank was so completely unselfish, that Peter Grey 
once laughingly said, " Frank scarcely remembers 
there is such a person as himself in the world, 
therefore it is astonishing how he contrives to 
exist at all." 

" If that be his worst fault, you shew him a very 
opposite example, Peter," said Major Graham, 
smiling ; " number one is a great favourite with 
you." 

" Frank is also very obliging !" added Lady 
Harriet ; " he would do anything for anybody '" 

" Ah, poor fellow ! he can't help that," said 
Peter, in a tone of pity. " Some people arc born 
with that sort of desperate activity — flying to assist 
everyone — running up stairs for whatever is wanted 
— searching for whatever is lost — and picking up 
whatever has been dropped, 1 have seen several 



TIIR YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 259 

others like Frank, who were troubled with that 
sort of turn. He is indulging his own inclination 
in flying about everywhere for everybody, as much 
as I do in sitting still ! — it is all nature ! — you know 
tastes differ, for some people like apples, and some 
like onions." 

Frank had a black shade of himself, drawn in 
uniform and put into a gilt frame, all for one shil- 
ling, which he presented to his grandmama, who 
looked sadly at the likeness when he came smiling 
into her dressing-room, and calling Harry to assist 
in knocking a nail into the wall, that it might be 
hung above the chimney-piece. " I need nothing 
to remind me of you, dear Frank," observed Lady 
Harriet, " and this is a sad exchange, the shadow 
for the substance." Frank gave a handsome new 
red morocco spectacle-case to uncle David, and 
asked leave to carry away the old one with him as 
a remembrance. He bought gowns for all the 
maids, and books for all the men-servants. He 
presented Mrs Crabtree with an elegant set of 
tea-cups and saucers, promising to send her a box 
of tea the first time he went to China ; and for 
Laura and Harry he produced a magnificent magic 
lantern, representing all the stars and planeta 
which cost him several guineas. It was exhibited 
the evening before Frank went away, and caused 
great entertainment to a large party of his com- 



2fi0 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

panions, who asscmLlcd at tea to take leave of him, 
on which occasion Peter Grey made a funny speech, 
proposing Frank's health in a bumper of bohea, 
when the whole party became very merry, and did 
not disperse till ten. 

Major Graham intended accompanying Frank 
to Portsmouth, and thev were to set off by the mail 
next evening. That day was a sad one to Harry 
and Laura, who were allowed a whole holiday ; but 
not a sound of merriment was heard in the house, 
except when Frank tried to make them cheerful, 
by planning what was to be done after he came 
back, or when Major Graham invented droll stories 
about the adventures Frank would probably meet 
with at sea. Even Mrs Crab tree looked more grave 
and cross than usual ; and she brought Frank a 
present of a needle-case made with her own hands, 
and filled with thread of every kind, saying, that 
she heard all " midshipmites " learned to mend 
their things, and keep them decent, which was an 
excellent custom, and ought to be encouraged ; 
but she hoped he would remember, that " a stitch 
in time saves nine." 

Lady Harriet stayed most of the time in her 
dressing-room, and tried to conceal the traces of 
many tears when she did appear ; but it was only 
too evident how sadly her time had been passed 
alone. 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 281 

" Grandmama !" said Frank, taking her Land 
afFcctionately, and trying to look cheerful ; " wo 
shall meet again; perhaps very soon!" 

Lady Harriet silently laid her hand upon the 
Bible, to shew that there she found the certain 
assurance of another meeting in a better world i 
but she looked at Frank with melancholy affection f 
and added, very solemnly and emphatically, 

" ' There is no union here of hearts, 
That finds not here an end.' " 

" But grandmama ! you are not so very old ! " ex* 
claimed Laura, earnestly. " Lord Rockville was 
born ten years sooner ; and, besides, young people 
sometimes die before older people." 

" Yes, Laura ! young people may die, hut old 
people must. It is not possible that this feeble, 
aged frame of mine can long remain in the visible 
world. 4 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see 
me no more.' I have many more friends under the 
earth now, than on it. The streets of this city 
would be crowded, if all those I once knew and still 
remember, could be revived ; but my own turn is 
fast coming, like theirs, and Frank knows, as all 
of vou do, where it is my hope and prayer that we 
may certainly meet again." 

"Grandmama!" said Frank, in a low and broken 

voice, " it wants but an hour to the time of my 

dnparture ; I should like much if the servants were 

la 



262 THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 

to come up for family prayers, and if uncle David 
would read us the 14th chapter of St John." 

Lady Harriet rung the bell, and before long the 
whole household had assembled, as not one would 
have been absent on the night of Master Frank's 
departure from home, "which all were deeply grieved 
at, and even Mrs Crabtree dashed a tear from her 
cheek as she entered the room. 

Frank sat with his hand in Lady Harriet's, while 
Major Graham read the beautiful and comforting 
chapter which had been selected, and when the 
whole family kneeled in solemn prayer together, 
many a deep sob, which could not be conquered, 
was heard from Frank himself. All being over, he 
approached the servants, and silently shook hands 
with each, but could not attempt to speak ; after 
which Lady Harriet led him to her dressing-room, 
where they remained some time, till, the carriage 
having arrived, Frank hastened into the drawing- 
room, clasped Harry and Laura in his arms, and 
having, in a voice choked with grief, bid them both 
a long farewell, he hurried out of their presence. 

When the door closed, something seemed to fall 
heavily on the ground, but this scarcely attracted 
any one's attention, till Major Graham followed 
Frank, and was shocked to find him lying on the 
staircase, perfectly insensible. Instead of calling 
for assistance, however, uncle David carefully lifted 



THE YOUNG MIDSHIPMAN. 203 

Frank in his own arms, and carried him to the 
carriage, where, after a few moments, the fresh 
air and the rapid motion revived his recollection, 
and he burst into tears. 

" Poor grandmama ! and Harry and Laura ! " 
cried he, weeping convulsively. "Oh! when shall 
I see them all again ! " 

" My dear boy !" said Major Graham, trying to 
be cheerful ; " do you think nobody ever left home 
before ? One would suppose you never expected 
to come back ! Three years seem an age when we 
look forward, but are nothing after they have fled. 
The longer we live, the shorter every year appears, 
and it will seem only the day after to-morrow when 
you are rushing into the house again, and all of us 
standing at the door to welcome you back. Think 
what a joyous moment that will be ! There is a 
wide and wonderful world for you to see first, and 
then a happy home afterwards to revisit." 

" Yes, dear, good, kind uncle David ! no one 
ever had a happier home ; and till the east comes 
to the west, I shall never cease to think of it with 
gratitude to you and grandmama. We shall surely 
all meet again. I must live upon that prospect. 
Hope is the jewel that remains wherever we go, 
and the hope to which grandmama has directed 
me, is truly compared to a rainbow, which not only 
brightens the earth, but stretches to heaven." 



CHAPTER XITI. 



TnE AMUSING DHIVK. 



J would not enter on my list of friends 

(Though graced with polish'd manners and ftte si-a-M, 

Yet wanting sensibility) the man 

Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. 

CowrER. 



Lady Harriet was confined to bed for several 
days after Frank's departure from home, and 
during all that week Harry and Laura felt so melan- 
choly, that even Mrs Crabtree became sorry for 
them, saying, it was quite distressing to see how 
quiet and good they had become, for Master Harry 
was as mild as milk now, <nid she almost wished ho 
would be at some of his old tricks again. 

On the following Monday a message arrived from 
Lady Rockville, to say that she was going a long 
drive in her phaeton, to visit some boys at Mussel- 
burgh school, and would be happy to take Harry 
and Laura of the party, if their graudmama had 



MUSING DRIVM. 265 

no objection. None being made by anybody, tbey 
llcw up stairs to get ready, while Harry did not 
take above three steps at a time, and Laura, when 
she followed, felt quite astonished to find Mrs 
Crabtree looking almost as pleased as herself, and 
saying she hoped the expedition would do them 
both good. 

Before five minutes had elapsed Harry was 
mounted on the dickey, where Lady Rockville de- 
sired him to sit, instead of the footman, who was 
now dismissed, as room could not be made for them 
both ; so after that Harry touched his hat when- 
ever any of the party spoke to him, as if he had 
really been the servant. 

Laura, meanwhile, at as placed between Lady 
Rockville and Miss Perceval, where she could 
hardly keep quiet a minute for joy, though afraid 
to turn her head or to stir her little finger, in case 
of being thought troublesome. 

" I am told that the races take place at Mus- 
selburgh to-day," said Lady Rockville. " It is a 
cruel amusement, derived from the sufferings of 
noble animals ; they have as good a right to be 
happy in the world as ourselves, Laura ; but we 
shall pass that way, so Harry and you will pro- 
bably see the crowds of carriages." 

" Oh, how enchanting ! I never saw a race-course 
in my life !" cried Laura, springing off her seat 



266 THE AMUSING DRIVE. 

with delight. '• Harry ! Harry ! we are going to 
the races !" 

" Hurra !" exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands ; 
" what a delightful surprise ! Oh ! I am so dread- 
fully happy !" 

" After all, my dear Lady Rockville," said Miss 
Perceval, yawning, " what have horses got legs for, 
except to run 1 " 

" Yes, but not at such a pace ! It always shocked 
me — formerly at Doncaster, where the jockeys 
were sometimes paid £1000 for winning — to see 
how the poor animals were lashed and spurred 
along the course, foaming with fatigue, and gasp- 
ing till they nearly expired. Horses, poor creatures, 
from the hour of their birth till their death, have 
a sad time of it!" 

" Grandmama once read me a beautiful descrip- 
tion of a wild horse in his natural state of liberty," 
said Laura. " Among the South American forests 
he was seen carrying his head erect, with sparkling 
eyes, flowing mane, and splendid tail, trotting 
about among the noble trees, or cropping the grass 
at his feet, looking quite princely, and doing pre- 
cisely what he pleased." 

"Then look at the contrast," said Lady Rockville, 
pointing to a long row of cart-horses, with galled 
sides, shrivelled skins, broken knees, and ema- 
nated bodies, which were all dragging their weary 



THE AMUSING DEIVE. 267 

load along. " Animals are all meant for the uso 
of man, but not to be abused, like these poor 
creatures." 

"Asforracing,"saidMissPerceval," a thorough- 
bred horse enters into the spirit of it quite as much 
as his rider. Did you never hear of Quin's cele- 
brated steed, which became so eager to win, that 
when his antagonist passed, he seized him vio- 
lently by the leg, and both jockeys had to dis- 
mount, that the furious animal might be torn away. 
The famous horse Forrester, too, caught hold of 
his opponent by the jaw, and could scarcely bo 
disengaged." 

" Think of all the cruel training these poor 
creatures went through before they came to that," 
added Lady Rockville ; " of the way in which horses 
are beaten, spurred, and severely cut with the whip ; 
then, after their strength fails, like the well-known 
' high-mettled racer,' the poor animal is probably 
sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill-usage." 

" Uncle David shewed me one day," said Laura, 
"that horrid picture which you have probably 
seen, by Cruickshanks, of the Xnackers' Yards 
in London, where old horses are sent to end their 
miserable days, after it is impossible to torture 
them any longer into working. Oh ! it was dread- 
ful ! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch had 
been taken from life." 



208 Till: AMUSING DRIVE. 

" I know that," answered Lady Pockville. " In 
these places the wretched animals arc literally put 
to death by starvation, and may he seen gnawing 
each other's manes in the last agonies of hunger." 

" My dear Lady Rockville," exclaimed Miss Per- 
ceval, affectedly, u how can you talk of such un- 
pleasant things '.—there is an act of Parliament 
against cruelty to animals, so of course no such 
thing exists now. Many gentlemen are vastly kind 
to old horses, turning them out to grass for years, 
that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and 
rural retirement, to which, no doubt, some arc well 
entitled ; for instance, the famous horse Eclipse, 
which gained his owner £25,000 ! I wish he had 
been mine !" 

" But think how many are ruined when one is 
enriched, and indeed both are ruined in morals and 
good feeling ; therefore I am glad that our sex 
have never taken to the turf. It is bad enough, 
my dear Miss Perceval, to see that they have taken 
to the moors ; for Mere I to say all I think of those 
amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse 
on the ll'th of August, they would probably chal- 
lenge me to sing'ie combat. Lord Rockville says, 
' What with gentleman doing worsted work, and 
ladies shouldering double-barrelled guns, he scarce- 
ly thinks this can he the same world that he was 
born in long ago."' 



THE AMUSING DRIVE. 2G9 

The carriage at this moment began to proceed 
along the road with such extraordinary rapidity, 
that there seemed no danger of their following in 
the dust of any other equipage, and Miss Perceval 
became exceedingly alarmed, especially when Lady 
Piockville mentioned that this was one of the first 
times she had been driven by her new coachman, 
who seemed so very unsteady on his scat, she had 
felt apprehensive, for some time, that he might be 
drunk. 

" A tipsy coachman ! Dear Lady Rockville, do 
let me out ! We shall certainly be killed in this 
crowd of carriages ! I can walk home ! Pray stop 
him, Miss Laura! I came to look on at a race, 
but not to run one myself! This last driving is 
like a railroad, only not quite so straight ! I do 
verily believe we are run off with ! Stop, coach- 
man ! — stop ! " 

In spite of all Miss Perceval's exclamations and 
vociferations, the carriage flew on with frightful 
rapidity, though it reeled from side to side of the 
road, as if it had become intoxicated like the driver 
himself, who lashed his horses and galloped along 
within an inch of hedges and ditches all the way, 
till at last, having reached the race-course, he 
pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horses 
nearly fell back on their haunches, while he swore 
at them in the most furious and shocking manner, 



270 THIS AMUSING D1UVE. 

Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the 
coachman very severely on his misconduct, in first 
driving her so dangerously fast, and then being 
disrespectful eno;Hi to use profane language in 
her presence, adding, that if he did not conduct 
himself more properly, she must complain to Lord 
Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. 
Upon hearing this, the man looked exceedingly 
sulky, and muttered angrily to himself in a tipsy 
voice, till at last he suddenly threw away the reins, 
and, rising from the box, he began to scramble his 
way down, nearly falling to the ground in his haste, 
and saying, " If your ladyship is not pleased with 
my driving, you may drive yourself!" 

After this the intoxicated man staggered to- 
wards a drinking-booth not far off, and disappear- 
ed, leaving Miss Perceval perfectly planet-struck 
with astonishment, and actually dumb during seve- 
ral minutes with wonder at all she heard and saw. 
There sat Harry, alone on the dickey, behind two 
spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with 
the speed at which they had come, and ready to 
start off again at the slightest hint, Avhile noises 
on every side were heard enough to frighten a pair 
of hobby-horses. Piemen ringing their bells- 
blind fiddlers playing out of tune — boys calling 
lists of the horses — drums beating at the starting 
post— ballad-singers squalling at the full pitch of 



*'HE AMUSING DKIVE. 271 

their voices — horses galloping — grooms quarrel- 
ling — dogs barking — and children crying. 

In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unex- 
pectedly observed Captain Digby on horseback not 
far off. Without losing a moment, he stood up, 
waving his handkerchief, and calling to beg he 
would come to the carriage immediately, as they 
were in want of assistance ; and Lady Rockville 
told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to 
help laughing while she explained it, the extraor- 
dinary predicament they had been placed in. Cap- 
tain Digby, upon hearing the story, looked ready 
to go off like a squib with rage at the offending 
coachman, and instantly seizing the driving- whip, 
he desired his servant to hold the horses' heads, 
while he proceeded towards the drinking-booth, 
flourishing the long lash in his hand, as he went, in 
a most ominous manner. Several minutes elapsed, 
during which Harry overheard a prodigious outcry 
in the tent, and then the drunken coachman was seen 
reeling away along the road, Avhile Captain Digby, 
still brandishing the whip, returned, and mounting 
the dickey himself, he gathered up the reins, an? 
insisted on driving Lady Rockville's phaeton for 
her. Before long it was ranged close beside a 
chariot so full of ladies it seemed ready to burst, 
when Harry was amused to perceive that Peter 
Grey and another boy, who were seated on tho 



272 THE AMUSING DTvIYE. 

rumble behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof 
of the carriage, using it for a dining-tablc, while 
they all seemed determined to astonish their ap- 
petites by the quantity of oysters and sandwiches 
they ate, and by drinking at the same time large 
tumblers of porter. Lady llockville wished she 
could have the loan of Harry and Laura's spirits 
for an hour or two, when she saw how perfectly be- 
wildered with delight they were on beholding the 
thousands of eager persons assembled on the race- 
ground,— jockeys riding about in liveries as gay as 
tulips — officers in scarlet uniform — red flags flut- 
tering in the breeze — caravans exhibiting pictures 
of the wildest-looking beasts in the world — bands 
of music — recruiting parties — fire-eaters, who dined 
on red-hot pokers — portraits representing pigs 
fatter than the fattest in the world — giants a head 
and three pairs of shoulders taller than any one else, 
and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the naked 
eye — all of which were shewn to children for half- 
price ! 

Lady Rockville very good-naturedly gave Harry 
half-a-crown, promising that, before leaving the 
race-ground, he should either buy some oranges to 
lay the dust in his throat, after so long a drive, 
or visit as many shows as he pleased for his half- 
crown ; and they were anxiously discussing what 
five sights would be best worth sixpence each, when 



THE AMUSING DRIVE. 273 

a loud hurra was heard, the drums beat, and five 
horses started off for the first heat. Harry stood 
up in an ecstacy of delight, and spoke loudly in 
admiration of the jockey on a grey horse, with a 
pink jacket, who took the lead, and seemed per- 
fectly to fly, as if he need never touch the ground ; 
but Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, 
in a yellow dress and green cap, who pulled hack 
his own bay horse, as if he really wished to lose. 
To Laura's astonishment, however, Captain Digby 
preferred him, and Miss Perceval declared in favour 
of a light-blue jacket and chestnut horse. Karry 
now thought everybody stupid not to agree with him, 
and called out, in the height of his eagerness, "I 
would bet this half-crown upon the pink jacket ! " 

"Done!" cried Peter, laughing. " The ye'uow 
dress and green cap for my mency !" 

" Then I shall soon have five shillings ! " exclaim- 
ed Harry, in great glee; but scarcely had he spoken, 
before a loud murmuring sound arose among the 
surrounding crowd, upon hearing which he looked 
anxiously about, and was astonished to see the 
green cap and yellow dress already at the winning- 
post, while his own favourite grey horse cantered 
slowly along, far behind all the others, carrying tha 
jockey with the pink jacket, who hung his head, 
and was bent nearly double with shame ana fa- 
tigue. 



274 -/HE AMUSING DRIVE. 

Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph wheu 
lie glanced at Harry's disappointed, angry counte- 
nance, and held out his hand for the half-crown, 
saying, " Pay your debt of honour, Master Harry ! 
It is rather fortunate I won, seeing that not one 
sixpence had I to pay you with ! not a penny to 
jingle on a milestone. You had more money than 
wit, and I had more wit than money, so we are well 
met. Did you not see that the grey horse has fallen 
fame \ Goodbye, youngster ! I shall tell all the 
giants and wild beasts to expect you another day !" 

" Harry !" said Lady Eockville, looking grave- 
ly at his enraged countenance, " it is a foolish fish 
that is caught with every bait ! I am quite relieved 
that you lost that money. This is an early lesson 
against gambling, and no one can ever be rich or 
happy who becomes fond of it. We were wrong 
to bring you here at all ; and I now see you could 
easily be led into that dreadful vice, which has 
caused misery and ruin to thousands of young men. 
If you had possessed an estate, it would have been 
thrown away quite as foolishly as the poor half- 
crown, making you perhaps miserable afterwards 
for life." 

" I thought myself quite sure to win!" exclaim- 
ed Harry, still looking with angry astonishment 
after Peter, who was making odd grimaces, and 
holdingupthc half-crown in a most teasina: manner. 



TUB AMUSING DRIVE. 275 

' I would rather have thrown my money into the 
sea than given it to Peter.'' 

" Think, too, how many pleasanter and better 
vays there are, in which you might have spent it ! " 
Added Lady Rockville. " Look at that poor blind 
man, whom you could have relieved, or consider what 
a nice present you should have given to Laura! But 
there seem to be no more brains in your head, 
Harry, than in her thimble!" 

" My cousin Peter is quite a young black-leg 
already," observed Miss Perceval. " I never saw 
such a boy ! So fond of attracting notice, that he 
would put on a cap and bells if that would make 
him stared at. Last Saturday he undertook for a 
bet, to make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post 
along Prince's Street, and I wish you could have 
seen the wondering crowd that gradually collected 
as he went along, performing his task with the 
most perfect composure and impudence." 

" For cool assurance, I hope there arc not many 
boys equal to him," said Lady Rockville. " He 
scattered out of the window lately several red-hot 
halfpence among some beggars, and I am told they 
perfectly stuck to the poor creatures' fingers when 
trying to pick them up; and he was sent a message, 
on his pony, one very cold day lately, to Lady De 
Vcre's, who offered, when he was taking leave, to 
cut him one ©f her finest camellias, to which hq 



276 THE AMUSING DRIVft. 

replied, ' I 'would much rather you offered me a hot 
potato!'" 

" Peter feels no sympathy in your disappoint- 
ment, Harry," added Miss Perceval; "hut we might 
as well expect wool on a dog, as friendship from 
a gambler, who would ruin his own father, and 
always laughs at those who lose." 

" Go and cut your wisdom teeth, Harry!" said 
Captain Digby, smiling. " Any one must have heen 
born blind not to observe that the grey horse was 
falling behind; but you have bought half-a-crown's 
worth of wisdom by experience, and I hope it will 
last for life. Never venture to bet even that your 
own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn out 
a mistake." 

" Harry is now the monkey that has seen the 
world, and I think it will be a whole year of Satur- 
days before he ever commits such a blunder again," 
continued Lady Rockville. " We must for this once, 
not complain of what has occurred to Lady Harriet, 
because she would be exceedingly displeased ; but 
certainly you are a most ingenious little gentleman 
for getting into scrapes ! " 

Harry told upon himself, however, on his return 
home, because he had always been accustomed to 
■io so, knowing Major Graham and his grandmama 
never were very angry at any fault that was con- 
fessed and repented of. therefore he went straight 



THE AMl'SIKG DltlVE. 277 

up stairs and related his whole history to uncle 
David, who gave him a very serious exhortation 
against the foolish and sinful vice of gambling. To 
keep him in mind of his silly adventure that day, 
Harry was also desired, during the whole evening, 
to wear his coat turned inside out, a very frequent 
punishment administered by Major Graham for 

small offences, and which was generally felt to be 

a terrible di-grace. 



19 



CHAPTER XIX 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

His shout may ring upon the hiU, 
His voice be echoed in the hall, 
His merry laugh like music thrill, 
I scarcely notice such things now. 

Willis. 

/Jome weeks after Frank had left home, while Lady 
Harriet and Major Graham were absent at Holi- 
day House, Harry and Laura felt surprised to ob- 
serve that Mrs Crabtree suddenly became very 
grave and silent, — her voice seemed to have lost 
half its loudness, — her countenance looked rather 
pale, — and they both escaped being scolded on 
several occasions, 'when Harry himself could notbut 
think lie deserved it. Once or twice he ventured 
to do things that at other times he dared not have 
attempted, "merely as an experiment," he said, 
" like that man in the menagerie, who put his head 
inio the lion's mouth ~ithoul feeling quite sure 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 279 

whether it would be bit off the next moment or 
not ;" but though Mrs Crab tree evidently saw all 
that passed, she turned away with a look of sad- 
ness, and said not a word. 

What could be the matter? Harry almost wished 
she would fly into a good passion, and scold him, 
it became so extraordinary and unnatural to see 
Mrs Crabtree sitting all day in a corner of the 
room, sewing in silence, and scarcely looking up 
from her work ; but still the wonder grew, for she 
seemed to become worse and worse every day. 
Harry dressed up the cat in an old cap and frock 
of Laura's, — he terrified old Jowler, by putting him 
into the shower-bath, — and let off a few crackers 
at the nursery window, — but it seemed as if he 
might have fired a cannon without being scolded by 
Mrs Crabtree, who merely turned her head round 
for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. 
Laura even fancied that Mrs Crabtree was once in 
tears, but that seemed quite imnossible, so she 
thought no more about it, till one morning, when 
they had begun to despair of ever hearing more 
about the business, and were whispering together 
in a corner of the room, observing that she looked 
duller than ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs 
Crabtree calling them both to come near her. She 
!ooked very pale, and was beginning to say some- 
thing, when her voice suddenly became so husky 



280 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

and indistinct, that she seemed unable to proceed ; 
therefore, motioning with her hand for them to go 
away, she began sewing very rapidly, as she had 
done before, breaking her threads, and pricking 
her fingers, at every stitch, while they became sure 
she was sobbing and crying. 

Laura and Harry silently looked at each other 
with some apprehension, and the nursery now be- 
came so perfectly still that a feather falling on the 
ground would have been heard. This had con- 
tinued for some time, when at last Laura upon tip- 
toe stole quietly up to where Mrs Crabtree was 
sitting, and said to her, in a very kind and anxious 
voice, " I am afraid you are not well, Mrs Crab- 
tree ! Grandmama will send for a doctor when 
she comes home. Shall I ask her \ " 

" You are very kind, Miss Laura ! — never mind 
me ! Your grandmama knows what is the matter. 
It will be all one a hundred years hence," answered 
Mrs Crabtree, in a low, husky voice. " This is a 
thing you will be very glad to hear ! — you must 
prepare to be told some good news !" added she, 
forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as Harry and 
Laura never heard before, for it sounded so much 
more like sorrow than joy. They waited in great 
suspense to hem- what would follow ; but Mrs Crab- 
tree, after struggling to speak ngain with com- 
posure, suddenly started olKhcr seat, and hurried 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 281 

rapidly out of the room. She appeared no more 
in the nursery that day, but next morning when 
they were at breakfast, she entered the room with 
her face very much covered up in her bonnet and 
evidently tried to speak in her usual loud, bus- 
tling voice, though somehow it still sounded per- 
fectly different from common. "Well, children! 
Lady Harriet was so kind as to promise that my 
secret should be kept till I pleased, and that no one 
should mention it to you but myself. I am going 
away ! " 

" You !" exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in 
Mrs Ciabtree's face. " Are you going away \ " 

" Yes, Master Harry, I leave this house to- 
day ! Now don't pretend to look sorry ! I know 
you are not ! I can't bear children to tell stories. 
Who would ever be sorry for a cross old woman 
like me 1 " 

" But perhaps I am sorry ! Are you in real 
earnest going away % " asked Harry again, with re- 
newed astonishment. " Oh no ! It is only a joke !" 

" Do I look as if this were a joke 1 " asked Mrs 
Crabtree, turning round her face, which was bathed 
with tears. "No, no! I am come to bid you both 
a long farewell ! A fine mess you will get into now ! 
Allyour things goingto rack and ruin.withnobody 
fit to look after them !" 

" But Mrs Crabtree i we do not like you to go 



282 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

away," said Laura, kindly. " Why are you leav- 
ing us all on a sudden 1 it is very odd ! I never 
was so surprised in my life !" 

" Your papa's orders are come. He wrote me 
a line some weeks ago, to say that I have been 
too severe. Perhaps that is all true. I meant it 
well ; and we are poor creatures, who can only act 
for the best. However, it can't be helped now ! 
There's no use in lamenting over spilt cream. 
You'll be the better-behaved afterwards. If ever 
you think of me again, children, let it be as kindly 
as possible. Many and many a time shall I re- 
member you both. I never cared for any young 
people but yourselves, and I shall never take charge 
of any others. Master Frank was the best boy in 
the world, and you would both have been as good 
under my care ; but it is no matter now ! " 

" But it does matter a very great deal," cried 
Harry, eagerly. " You must stay here, Mrs Crab- 
tree, as long as you live, and a great deal longer ! 
I shall write a letter to papa all about it. We 
were very troublesome, and it was our own faults 
if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs Crabtree, 
but take off your bonnet and sit down ! I am go- 
ing to do some dreadful mischief to-night, so you 
will be wanted to keep me in order." 

Mrs Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry's head 
in silence, and there was something so solemn and 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 283 

serious in her manner, that he saw it would he 
needless to remonstrate any more. She then held 
out her hand to Laura, endeavouring to smile as 
she did so, hut it was a vain attempt, for her lip 
quivered, and she turned away, saying, " Who 
would believe I should make such a fool of my- 
self! Farewell to you both ! and let nobody speak 
ill of me after I am gone, if you can help it !" 

Without looking round, Mrs Crabtree hurried 
out of the nursery and closed the dc^i , leaving 
Harry and Laura perfectly bewildered with asto- 
nishment at this sudden event, which seemed moie 
like a dream than a reality. They both felt ex- 
ceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe that 
she had ever formerly been at all cross, while they 
stood at the window, with tears in their eyes, watch- 
ing the departure of her wellknown blue chest, 
on a wheelbarrow, and taking a last look of her 
red gown and scarlet shawl as she hastily followed 
it. 

For several weeks to come, whenever the door 
opened, Harry and Laura almost expected her to 
enter, but montn after montn elapsed, and Mrs 
Crabtree appeared no more, till one day, at their 
earnest entreaty, Lady Harriet took them a drive 
of some miles into the country, to see the neat, 
little lodging, like a bathing-machine, by the sea- 
Bide, where she lived, and maintained herself hj 



2&& THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

sewing, and by going out occasionally as a sick- 
nurse. A more delightful surprise certainly never 
could have been gi v en than when Harry and Laura 
tapped at the cottage door, which was opened by 
Mrs Crabtree herself, who started back with an 
exclamation of joytul amazement, and looked as 
if she could scarcely believe her eyes on behold- 
ing them, while they laughed at the joke till tears 
were running down their cheeks. " Is Mrs Crab- 
tree at home \ " said Harry, trying to look very 
grave. 

" Grandmama says we may stay here for an hour 
while she drives along the shore," added Lauras 
stepping into the house with a very merry face. 
" And how do you do, Mrs Crabtree ? " 

" Very well, Miss Laura, and very happy to see 
you. What a tall girl you are become ! and Mus- 
ter Harry, too ! looking quite over his own skoiil- 
ders!" 

After sitting some time, Mrs Crabtree insisted 
on their having some dinner in her cottage •, so 
making Harry and Laura sit down on each side of a 
large blazing fire, she cooked some most delicious 
pancakes for them in rapid succession, as fast tis 
they could eat, tossing them high in the air first, and 
then rolling up each as it was fried, with a lar^o 
spoonful of jam in the centre, till Harry and Lama 
at last said, that unless Mrs Crabtree supplied freak 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 285 

appetites, she need make no more pancakes, for they 
thought even Peter Grey himself could scarcely 
have finished all she provided. 

Harry had now heen several months constantly 
attending school, where he became a great favour- 
ite among the boys, and a great torment to the 
masters ; while, for his own part, he liked it twenty 
times tetter than he expected, because the lessons 
were tolerably easy to a clever boy, as he really was, 
and the games at cricket and foot-ball in the play- 
ground put him perfectly wild with joy. Every boy 
at school seemed to be his particular friend, and 
many called him " the holiday maker," because if 
ever a holiday was wished for, Harry always be- 
came leader in the scheme. The last morning of 
Peter Grey's appearing at school, he got the name 
of " the copper captain," because Mr Hannay hav- 
ing fined him half-a-crown, tor not knowing one 
of his lessons, he brought the whole sum in half- 
pence, carrying them in his hat, and gravely count- 
ing them all out, with such a painstaking, good- 
ioy look, that any one, to see him, would have sup- 
posed he was quite penitent and sorry for his mis- 
conduct ; but no sooner had he finished ths task 
and ranged all the halfpence neatly in rows along 
Mr Hannay's desk, than he was desired, in a voice 
of thunder, to leave the room instantly, and never 
to return, which accordingly he never did, having 



286 THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

started next day on the top of V.ir coach for Ports- 
mouth ; and the last peep Harry got of him he was 
buying a perfect mountain of gingerbread out of 
an old man's basket, to eat by the way. 

Meantime Laura had lessons from a regular day- 
governess, who came every morning at seven, and 
never disappeared till four in the afternoon, so, as 
Mrs Crabtree remarked, " the puir thing was per- 
fectly deaved wi' edication ;" but she made such 
rapid progress that uncle David said it would be 
difficult to decide whether she was growing fastest 
in body or in mind. Laura seemed born to be 
under the tuition of none but ill-tempered people, 
and Madame Pirouette appeared in a constant state 
of irritability. During the music-lessons she sat 
close to the piano, with a pair of sharp-pointed 
scissors in her hand, and whenever Laura played a 
wrong note, she stuck their points into the offend- 
ing finger, saying sometimes, in an angry foreign 
accent, " Put your toe upon 'dis note ! I tell you 
put your toe upon 'dis note!" 

"My finger, I suppose you mean? " asked Laura, 
trying not to laugh. 

" Ah ! fingare and toe ! dat is all one ! Speak 
not a word ! take hold of your tongue." 

"Laura!" said Major Graham one day, "I 
would as soon hear a gong sounding at my ear for 
half an hour, as most of the fine pieces you per- 



THE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 287 

form now. Taste and expression are quite out of 
date, but the chief object of ambition is, to seem 
as if you had four hands instead of two, from the 
torrent of notes produced at once. If ever you wish 
to please my old-fashioned ears, give me melody, 
— something that touches the heart and dwells in 
the memory, — then years afterwards, when we hear 
it again, the language seems familiar to our feel- 
ings, and we listen with deep delight to sounds 
recalling a thousand recollections of former days, 
which are brought back by music (real music) with 
distinctness and interest which nothing else can 
equal." 

During more than two years, while Harry and 
Laura were rapidly advancing in education, they 
received many interesting letters from Frank, ex- 
pressing the most affectionate anxiety to hear of 
their being well and happy, while his paper was 
filled with amusing accounts of the various won 
derful countries he visited ; and at the bottom of 
the paper, he always very kindly remembered to 
send them an order on his banker, as he called uncle 
David, drawn up in proper form, saying, " Please 
to pay Master Harry and Miss Laura Graham the 
sum of five shillings on my account. Francis 
Arthur Graham." 

In Frank's gay, merry epistles, he kept all hia 
little annoyances or vexations to himself, and in- 



238 TIIE UNEXPECTED EVENT. 

variably took up the pen with such a desire to seni 
cheerfulness into his own beloved home, that his 
etters might have been written with a sunbeam, 
they were so full of warmth and vivacity. It seem- 
ed always a fair wind to Frank, for he looked upon 
the best side of every thing, and never teased his 
absent friends with complaints of distresses they 
could not remedy, except when he frequently men- 
tioned his sorrow at being separated from them, 
adding, that he often wished it were possible to 
meet them during one day in every year, to tell 
all his thoughts, and to hear theirs in return, for 
sometimes now, during the night-watches, when all 
other resources failed, he entertained himself by 
imagining the circle of home all gathered around 
him, and by inventing what each individual would 
say upon any subjects he liked, while all his ad- 
ventures acquired a double interest, from consider- 
ing that the recital would one day amuse his dear 
friends when their happy meeting at last took place. 
Frank was not so over-anxious about his own com- 
fort, as to feel very much irritated and discom- 
posed at any privations that fell in his way ; and 
once sitting up in the middle of a dark night, with 
the rain pouring in torrents, and the wind having 
a perfect hurricane, he drew his watch-coat round 
him, saying good-humouredly to his grumbling com- 
panions, " This is by no means so bad! and what- 



TUB ©NKXI'ECTED EVENT. 289 

ever change takes place now, will probably be for 
the better. Sunshine is as sure to come as Christ- 
mas, if you only wait for it, and, in the mean time, 
■we are all more comfortably off than St Patrick, 
when he had to swim across a stormy sea, with his 
head under his arm." 

Frank often amused his messmates with stories 
which he had heard from uncle David, and soon be- 
came the greatest favourite imaginable with them 
all, while he frequently endeavoured to lead their 
minds to the same sure foundation of happiness 
which he always found the best security of his own. 
He had long been taught to know that a vessel 
might as well be steered without rudder or com- 
pass, as any individual be brought into a haven of 
peace, unless directed by the Holy Scriptures; and 
his delight was frequently to study such passages 
as these: " When thou passest through the waters, 
I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, they 
shall not overflow thee : when thou walkest through 
the fire, thou shalt not be burned ; neither shall the 
flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy 
God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." 



CHAPTER XV 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE 

full little knowest thou, that hast not tried, 
How strange it is in " steam-boat " long to bide,- - 
To fret thy soul with crosses and with cares, 
To eat thy heart through comfortless despairs, 
To speed to-day — to be put back to-morrow — 
To feed on hope — to pine with fear a id sorrow. 

SrENSER. 

As Harry and Laura grew older, they were gra- 
dually treated like friends and companions by Lady 
Harriet and Major Graham, who improved their 
minds by frequent interesting conversations, in 
which knowledge and principle were insensibly in- 
stilled into their minds, not by formal instruction, 
but merely by mentioning facts, or expressing opin- 
ions and sentiments, such as naturally arose out of 
the subjects under discussion, and accustoming the 
young people themselves to feel certain that their 
own remarks and thoughts were to be heard with 
the same interest as those of any other person. jN o 
surprise Mas expressed, if they appeared more 
acute or more amusing than might have been ex- 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 291 

pected, — no angry contempt betrayed itself if they 
spoke foolishly, unless it were something positively 
wrong; and thus Major Graham and Lady Harriet 
succeeded in making that yery difficult transition 
from treating children as toys, to becoming their 
confidential friends, and most trusted, as well as 
most respected and beloved associates. 

Fx*ank had been upwards of five years cruising 
on various stations abroad, and many officers who 
had seen him gave such agreeable repcrts to Major 
Graham of his admirable conduct on several occa- 
sions, and of his having turned out so extremely 
handsome and pleasing, that Lady Harriet often 
wished, with tears in her eyes, it were possible she 
might live to see him once again, though her own 
daily-increasing infirmities rendered that hope 
every hour more improbable. She was told that he 
spoke of her frequently, and said once when he met 
an ag?tl person at the Cape, "I would give all I pos- 
sess on earth., and ten times more, if I had it, to see 
my dear grandmother as well, and to meet her once 
more." This deeply affected Lady Harriet, who 
was speaking one day with unusual earnestness ot 
the comfort it gavo, ^natcier aught be the will of 
Providence in respect to herself, that Frank seem- 
ed so happy, and liked his profession so well, when 
the door flew open, and Andrew hastened into the 
room, his old face perfectly wrinkled with delight, 



292 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 

while he displayed a letter in his hand, savin**, in 
a tone of hreathless agitation, as he delivered it to 
Major Graham, *' The post-mark is Portsmouth, 
Sir!" 

Lady Harriet nearly rose from her seat with an 
exclamation of joy, hut, unahle for the exertion, she 
sunk back, covering her face with her hands, and 
listened in speechless suspense to hear whether 
Frank had indeed returned. Harry and Laura 
eagerly looked over Major Graham's shoulder, and 
Andrew lingered anxiously at the door, till this 
welcome letter was hurriedly torn open and read. 
The direction was certainly Frank's writing, though 
it seemed very different from usual, but the con- 
tents filled Major Graham with a degree of con- 
sternation and alarm, which he vainly endeavoured 
to conceal ; for it informed him that, during a des- 
perate engagement with some slave-ships off the 
coast of Africa, Frank had been most severely 
wounded, from which he scarcely recovered before a 
violent attack of fever reduced him so extremely, 
that the doctors declared his only chance of re- 
storation was to he invalided home immediately; 
" therefore," added he, " you must all unite a 
prayer for my recovery with a thanksgiving for 
my return, and I can scarcely regret an illness that 
restores me to home. My heart is already with 
you all, but my frail, shattered bodymust n.st som? 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 293 

days in London, as the voyage from Sierra Leone 
has been extremely fatiguing and tedious. 1 ' 

Lady Harriet made not a singlo remark when 
this letter was closed, but tears coursed each other 
rapidly down her aged cheeks, while she slowly 
removed her Lands from her face, and gazed at 
Major Graham, who seated himself by her side, in 
evident agitation, and calling back Andrew when 
be was leaving the room, lie said, in accents of un- 
usual emotion, " Desire John to inquire imme- 
diately whether any steam-boat sails for London 
to-day." 

''You are right!" said Lady Harriet, feebly. 
" Oh! that I could accompany you! But bring him 
to me if possible. I dare not hope to go. Surely 
wcshall meet at last. Now, indeed, I feel my own 
weakness when I cannot fly to sec him. lint ho 
will be quite able for the journey. Frank had an 
excellent constitution, — he — he was — " 

Lady Harriet's voice failed, and she burst into 
a convulsive agony of tears. 

A few hours, and uncle David had embarked for 
London, where, after a short passage, he arrived 
at his usual lodgings in St James' Place ; but some 
days elapsed, during which he laboured in vain to 
discover the smallest trace of Frank, who had omit- 
ted, in his hurried letter from Portsmouth, to men- 
tion where he intended M'vintr in town. One even- 



1194 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 

ing, fatigued with his long and unavailing search, 
Major Graham sat down, at the British Coffee- 
house, to take some refreshment before resuming 
his inquiries, and was afterwards about to leave 
the room, when he observed a very tall, interesting 
young man, exceedingly emaciated, who strolled 
languidly into the room, with so feeble a step that 
he seemed scarcely able to support himself. The 
stranger took off his hat, sunk into a scat, and 
passed his fingers through the dark masses of curls 
that hung over his pale, white forehead, his large 
eyes closed heavily with fatigue, his check assume 
a hectic glow, and his head sunk upon his hand. 
In a low subdued voice he gave some directions to 
the waiter, and Major Graham, after gazing for a 
moment with melancholy interest at this apparent- 
ly consumptive youth, was about to depart, when 
a turn of the young man's countenance caused him 
to start ; ho looked again more earnestly — every 
fibre of his frame seemed suddenly to thrill with 
apprehension, and at last, in a voice of doubt and 
astonishment, he exclaimed, " Frank !" 

The stranger sprung from his seat, gazed eager- 
ly round the room, rushed into the arms of Major 
Graham, and fainted. 

Long and anxiously did uncle David watch for 
the restoration of Frank, while every means wero 
used to revive him, and when at length ho did ro» 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 295 

gain Lis consciousness, no time was lost in con- 
veying him to St James' Place, where, after heing 
confined to bed and attended by Sir Astley Cooper 
and Sir Henry Halford during four days, they 
united in recommending that he should be carried 
some miles out of town, to the neighbourhood of 
Hammersmith, for change of air, till the effect of 
medicine and diet could be fully tried. Frank 
earnestly entreated that he might be taken imme- 
diately to his own home; but this the doctors pro- 
nounced quite impossible, privately hinting to 
Major Graham that it seemed very doubtful indeed 
whether he could ever be moved there at all, or 
whether he might survive above a few months. 

" Home is anywhere that my own family live with 
me," said Frank, in a tone of resignation, when he 
heard a journey to Scotland pronounced impossible. 
"It is not where I am, but who I see, that signifies; 
and this meeting with you, uncle David, did mo 
more good than an ocean of physic. Oh ! if I could 
only converse with grandmama for half-an-hour, 
and speak to dear Harry and Laura, it would be 
too much happiness. I want to see how much 
they are both grown, and to hear their merry laugh 
again. Perhaps I never may ! But if I get worse, 
they must come here. I have many many things 
to say ! Why should they not set off now 1 — imme- 
diately ! If I recover, we might be such a happy 



296 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE 

party to Scotland again. For grandmama, I kno\j 
it is impossible; but will you 'write and ask her 
about Harry and Laura 1 The sooner the better, 
uncle David, because I often think it probable " 

Frank coloured and hesitated ; he looked ear- 
nestly at his uncle for some moments, who saw what 
was meant, and then added, 

" There is one person more, far distant, and little 
thinking of what is to come, who must be told. 
You have always been a father to me, uncle David, 
but he also would wish to be here now. Little aa 
we have been together, I know how much he loves 
me." 

Frank's request became no sooner known than 
it was complied with by Lady Harriet, who thought 
it better not to distress Harry and Laura, by men- 
tioning the full extent of his danger, but merely 
said, that he felt impatient for the meeting, and 
that they might prepare on the following day, to 
embark under charge of old Andrew and her own 
maid Harrison, for a voyage to London, where she 
hoped they would find the dear invalid already bet- 
ter. Laura was astonished at the agitation with 
which she spoke, and felt bewildered and amazed by 
this sudden announcement. She and Harry once or 
twice in their lives caught cold, and spent a day 
in bed, confined to a diet of gruel and syrup, which 
always proved an infallible remedy for the very 



AX UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 297 

worst attacks, and they had frequently witnessed 
the severe sufferings of their grandniama, from 
which, however, she always recovered, and which 
Bcemed to them the natural effects of her extreme 
old age ; but to imagine the possibility of Frank's 
life being in actual danger never crossed their 
thoughts for an instant, and, therefore, it was with 
a feeling of unutterable joy that they stood on the 
deck of the Royal Pandemonium, knowing that they 
were now actually going to meet Frank. 

Nothing could be a greater novelty to both the 
young travellers than the scene by which they were 
now surrounded ; trumpets were sounding — bells 
ringing — sailors, passengers, carriages, dogs, and 
baggage, all hurrying on board pell-mell, while a 
jet of steam came bellowing forth from the waste 
pipe, as if it were struggling to get rid of the 
huge column of black smoke vomited forth by the 
chimney. Below stairs they were still more as- 
tonished to find a large cabin, covered with gild- 
ing, red damask, and mirrors, where crowds of 
strange-looking people, more than half sick, and 
very cross, were scolding and bustling about, bawl- 
ing for their carpet-bags, and trying to be of as 
much consequence as possible, while they ate and 
drank trash, to keep ofF sea-sickness, that might 
have made any one sick on shore — sipping brandy 
and water, or eating peppermint drops, according 



298 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGR. 

as the case required. Among those in the ladies 
cahin, Laura and Harry were amused to discover 
Miss Perceval, who had hastened into bed already, 
in case of being ill, and was talking unceasingly 
to any one who would listen, besides ordering and 
scolding a poor sick maid, scarcely able to stand. 
Her head was enveloped in a most singular night- 
cap, ornamented with old ribbons and artificial 
flowers — she wore a bright-yellow shawl, and had 
taken into the berth beside her a little Blenheim 
spaniel, a pai'rot, and a cage of canary birds, the 
noisy inhabitants of which sung av the full pitch 
of their voices till the very latest horn of the night, 
being kept awake by the lamp which swung from 
side to side, while nothing could be compared to 
their volubility except the perpetual clamour oc- 
casioned by Miss Perceval herself. 

" I declare these little, narrow beds are no bet- 
ter than coffins ! I never saw such places ! and 
the smell is like singed blankets and cabbages 
boiled in melted oil ! It is enough to make any 
body ill ! Mary ! go and fetch me a cup of tea ; 
and, do you hear 1 tell those people on deck not to 
make such a noise— it gives me a headach ! Br> 
sure you say that I shall complain to the captain. 
Reach mo some bread and milk for the parrot, — 
fetch my smelling bottle, — go to the saloon for that 
book I was reading, — and search again for the poc- 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 2&9 

ket-handkerchief I mislaid. It cost ten guineas, 
and must be found. I hope no one has stolen it ! 
Now, do make haste with the tea ! What arc you 
dawdling there for 1 If you do not stop that noise 
on deck, Mary, I shall he exceedingly displeased ! 
Some of those horrid people in the steerage were 
smoking too, but tell the captain that if I come 
up he must forbid them. It is a trick to make us 
all sick, and save provisions. I observed a gun-case 
in the saloon, too, which is a most dangerous thing, 
for guns always go off when you least expect. If 
any one fires, I shall fall into hysterics. I shall, 
indeed ! What a creaking noise the vessel makes ! 
I hope there is no danger of its splitting ! We 
ought not to go on sailing after dusk. The cap- 
tain must positively cast anchor during the night, 
that we may have no more of this noise or motion 
but sleep in peace and quietness till morning." 

Soon after the Royal Pandemonium had set sail, 
or rather set fire, the wind freshened, and the pitch- 
ing of the vessel became so rough, that Harry and 
Laura, with great difficulty, staggered to seats on 
the deck, leaving both Lady Harriet's servants 
so very sick below, that instead of being able to 
attend on them, they gave nine times the trouble 
that any other passenger did on board, and were 
not visible again during the whole voyage. The 
two young travellers now pat down together and 



300 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 

watched, with great curiosity, several groups uf 
strangers on deck; ladies, half sick, trying to en- 
tertain gentlemen in seal-skin travelling-cans and 
pale cadaverous countenances, smoking cigars ; 
others opening baskets of provisions, and eating 
with good, sea- faring appetite; while one party had 
a carriage on the deck so filled with luxuries of 
every kind, that there seemed no end to the mul- 
titude of Perigord pies, German sausages, cold 
fowls, pastry, and fruit, that were produced during 
the evening. The owners had a table spread on 
the deck, and ate voraciously, before a circle of 
hungry spectators, which had such an appearance 
of selfishness and gluttony, that both his young 
friends thought immediately of Peter Grey. 

As evening closed in, Harry and Laura began 
to feel very desolate, thus for the first time in their 
lives alone, while the wide waste of waters around 
made the scene yet more forlorn. They had en- 
joyed unmingled delight in talking over and over 
about their happymccting with Frank, and planned 
a hundred times how joyfully they would rush into 
the house, and with what pleasure they would re- 
late all that happened to themselves, after hearing 
from his own mouth the extraordinary adventures 
which his letters had described. Laura produced 
from her reticule several of the last she had re- 
ceived, and laughed again over the funny jokes an<? 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 301 

stories they contained, inventing n;any new ques- 
tions to ask him on the subject, and fancying she 
already heard his voice, and saw his bright and joy- 
ous countenance. But now the night had grown 
so dark and chilly, that both Harry and Laura felt 
themselves gradually becoming cold, melancholy, 
and dejected. They made an effort to walk arm- 
in-arm up and down the deck, in imitation of the 
few other passengers who had been able to remain 
out of bed, and they tried still to talk cheerfully; 
but in spite of every effort, their thoughts became 
mournful. After clinging together for some time, 
and staggering up and down, without feeling in 
spirits to speak, they were still shiveringly cold, 
yet unwilling to separate for the night, when Harry 
suddenly stood still, grasping Laura's arm with a 
look of startled astonishment, which caused her 
hastily to glance round in the direction where he 
was eagerly gazing, yet nothing became visible but 
the dim outline of a woman's figure, rolled up 
in several enormous shawls, and with her bonnet 
slouched far over her face. 

" I am certain it was she ! " whispered Harry, 
in a tone of breathless amazement ; " almost cer- 
tain!" 

" Who !" asked Laura, eagerly. 

Without answering, Harry sprung forward, and 



302 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 

seized the unknown personby the arm, who instantly 
looked round. It was Mrs Crabtree ! 

" I am sorry you observed me, Master Harry ! 
I did not intend to trouble you and Miss Laura 
during the voyage," said she, turning her face 
slowly towards him, when, to his surprise, he saw 
that the traces of tears were on her cheek, and 
her manner appeared so subdued, and altogether 
so different from former times, that Laura could 
yet scarcely credit her senses. " I shall not be at 

all in your way, children, but I 1 must 

see Master Frank again. He was always too good 
for this world, and he'll not be here long — Andrew 
told me all about it, and I could not stay behind. 
I wish we were all as well prepared, and then the 
sooner we die the better." 

Harry and Laura listened in speechless conster- 
nation to these words. The very idea of losing 
Frank had never before crossed their imaginations 
for a moment, and they could have wished to be- 
lieve that what Mrs Crabtree said was like the ra- 
vings of delirium, yet an irresistible feeling of awe 
and alarm rushed into their minds. 

" Miss Laura ! if you want help in undressing, 
call to me at any time. I was sure that doited 
b<x]y Harrison would be of no service. She never 
wa3 fit to take care of herself, and far less of such 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 303 

£8 you. It put me wild to think of your coming 
n\l this way with nobody fit to look after you. and 
then the distress that must follow." 

" But surely, Mrs Crabtree, you do not think 
Frank so very ill?" asked Laura, making an effort 
to recover her voice, and speaking in a tone of deep 
anxiety. " He had recovered from the fever, but 
is only rather too weak for travelling." 

" Well, Miss Laura ! grief always comes too 
soon, and I would have held my tongue had I 
thought you did not know the worst already. If 
I might order as in former days, it would be to send 
you both down directly, out of this heavy fog and 
cold wind." 

" But you may order us, Mrs Crabtree," said 
Harry, taking her kindly by the hand ; " we are 
very glad to see you again ! and I shall do what- 
ever you bid me ! So you came all this way on pur- 
pose for us ! How very kind !" 

" Master Harry, I would go round the wide world 
to serve any one of you ! Who else have I to care 
for ? But it was chiefly to see Master Frank. Let 
us hope the best, and pray to be prepared for any 
event that may come. All things are ordained for 
good, and we can only make the best of what hap- 
pens. The world must go round, — it must go round, 
and we can't prevent it." 

Harry and Laura hung their heads in dismay, for 



304 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAOK. 

there was something agitated and solemn in M t b 
Crabtree's manner, which astonished and shocked 
llicm, so they hurried silently to bed ; and Laura's 
pillow was drenched with tears of anxiety and dis- 
tress that night, though gradually, as she thought 
of Frank's bright colour and sparkling eyes, his 
joyous spirit and unbroken health, it seemed im- 
possible that all were so soon to fade away, that 
the wind should have already passed over them, and 
they were gone, till by degrees her mind became 
more calm ; her hopes grew into certainties ; she 
told herself twenty time3 over that Mrs Crabtree 
must be entirely mistaken, and at last sunk into 
a restless, agitated slumber 

Next day the sun shone, the sky was clear, and 
every thing appeared so full of life and joy, that 
Harry and Laura would have fancied the whole 
scene with Mrs Crabtree a distressing dream, had 
they not been awakened to recollection before six 
in the morning, by the sound of her voice, angrily 
rebuking Miss Perceval and other ladies, who, with 
too good reason, were grumbling at the hardship 
of sleeping, or rather vainly attempting to sleep, 
in such narrow uncomfortable dog-holes. Laura 
heard Mrs Crabtree conclude an eloquent oration 
on the subject of contentment, by saying, " Indeed, 
ladies ! many a brave man, and noblemen's sons 
too, have laid their heads on the green grass, fight- 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 305 

ing for you, so we should put up with a hard bed 
patiently for one night." 

Miss Perceval turned angrily away, and summon- 
ed her maid to receive a multitude of new direc- 
tions. " Mary, tell the Captain that when I looked 
out last, there was scarcely any smoke coming out 
of the funnel, so I am sure he is saving fuel, and 
not keeping good enough fires to carry us on ! I 
never knew such shabbiness ! Tell the engineer, 
that I insist on his throwing on more coals im- 
mediately. Bring me some hot water, as fast aa 
possible. These towels are so coarse, I cannot on 
any account use them. After being accustomed to 
such pocket-handkerchiefs as mine, at ten guineas 
each, one docs become particular. Can you not find 
a larger basin 1 This looks like a soup-plate, and 
it seems impossible here to get enough of hot water 
to wash comfortably." 

" She should be put into the boiler of the steam- 
boat," muttered Mrs Crabtrec. " I wish them ani- 
mal-magnifying doctors would put the young lady 
to sleep till we arrive in London." 

" Now ! " continued Miss Perceval, " get me an- 
other cup of tea. The last was too sweet, the one 
before not strong enough, and the first half cold, 
but this is worse than any. Do remember to men- 
tion, that yesterday-night the steward sent up a 
tin tea-pot a thing I cannot possibly suffer again. 



306 AN UKEXPECTED VOl'AGE. 

We must have the urn, too, instead of that black 
tea-kettle ; and desire him to prepare some butter- 
toast. I am not hungry, so three rounds 'will be 
enough. Let me have some green tea this time ; 
and see that the cream is better than last night, 
when I am certain it was thickened with chalk or 
snails. The jelly, too, was execrable, for it tasted 
like sticking-plaster. I shall starve if better can't 
be had ; and the table-cloth looked like a pair of 
old sheets. Tell the steward all this, and say he 
must get my breakfast ready on deck in half an 
hour ; but meantime, I shall sit here with a book 
while you brush my hair." 

The sick, persecuted maid seemed anxious to do 
all she was bid ; so, after delivering as many of the 
messages as possible, she tried to stand up and do 
Miss Perceval's hair, but the motion of the vessel 
had greatly increased, and she turned as pale as 
death, apparently on the point of sinking to the 
ground, when Laura, now quite dressed, quietly 
slipped the brush out of her hand, and carefully 
brushed Miss Perceval's thin locks, while poor 
Mary Bilently dropped upon a Beat, being perfect- 
ly faint with sickness. 

Miss Perceval read on, without observing the 
change of abigails, till Harry, who had watched this 
whole scene from the cabin-door, made a hissing 
noise, such as grooms do when they currycomb a 



AN UNEXPECTED VOVAGE. 307 

horse, which caused the young lady to look hastily 
round, when great was Miss Perceval's astonish- 
ment to discover her new ahigail, with a very pains- 
taking look, brushing her hair, while poor Mary 
lay more dead than alive on the benches. " "Well ! 
I declare ! was there ever anything so odd!" she 
exclaimed in a voice of amazement. '•'• How very 
strange! What can be the matter with Mary ! There 
is no end to the plague of servants!" 

'• Or rather to the plague of mistresses !'' thought 
Laura, while she glanced from Miss Perceval's 
round, red, bustling face, to the poor suffering 
maid, who became worse and worse during the day, 
for there came on what sailors call " a capful of 
wind," which gradually rose to a " stiff breeze," or 
what the passengers considered a hurricane ; and, 
towards night, it attained the dignity of a real un- 
deniable " storm." A scene of indescribable tu- 
mult then ensued. The captain attempted to make 
his voice heard above the roaring tempest, using 
a torrent of unintelligible nautical phrases, and an 
incessant volley of very intelligible oaths. The 
sailors flew about, and every plank in the vessel 
seemed creaking and straining, but high above all, 
the shrill tones of Miss Perceval were audibly heard 
exclaiming, 

" Are there enough of 'hands' on board? Is 
there any danger ? Are you sure the boiler will 



308 AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 

not burst? I wish steain-boats had nevox been in- 
vented ! People are sure to be blown up to the 
clouds, or sunk to the bottom of the ocean, or scald > 
ed to death, like so many lobsters. I cannot stand 
this any longer ! Stop the ship, and set me on shore 
instantly!" 

Laura clung closer to Harry, and felt that they 
were like two mere pigmies, amid the wide waste 
of waters, rolling and tossing around them, while 
his spirits, on the contrary, rose to the highest 
pitch of excitement with all he heard and saw. till 
at length, wishing to enjoy more of the "fun," he 
determined to venture above board. By the time 
Harry's nose was on a level with the deck, he gazed 
around, and saw that not a person appeared visible 
except two sailors, both lashed to the helm, while 
all was silent now, except the deafening noise made 
by the wild waves, and the stormy blast, which 
seemed as if it would blow his teeth down his 
throat. Harry thought the two men looked no 
larger than mice in such a scene, and stood, cling- 
ing to the bannisters, perfectly entranced with as- 
tonishment and admiration at the novelty of all he 
saw, and thinking how often Frank must have been 
in such scenes, when suddenly a wave washed quite 
over the deck, and he felt his arm grasped by Mrs 
Crabtree, who desired him to come down iinme- 
liately, in a tone of authority which he did not even 



AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 309 

yet feci bold enough to disobey ; therefore, slowly 
nud reluctantly he descendedto the cabin, where the 
only living thing that seemed well enough to move, 
was Miss Perceval's tonmio. 

" Steward !" she cried, in sharp, angry accents. 
" Steward ! here is water pouring down the sky- 
lights like a shower-bath ! Look at my band-box 
swimming on the floor ! Mary ! tiresome creature ! 
don't you see that l My best bonnet will be do 
stroyed ! Send the captain here ! He must posi- 
tively stop that noise on deck ; it is quite intoler- 
able ! My head aches, as if it would burst like the 
boiler of a steam-boat ! Stupid man ! Can't he put 
into some port, or cast anchor 1 How can he keep 
us all uncomfortable in this way ! Mary ! Mary ! 
I say! are you deaf? Steward! send one of the 
sailors here to take care of this dog! I declare 
poor Frisk is going to be sick! Mary! Mary! This 
is insufferable ! I wish the Captain would come 
and help me to scold my maid ! I shall certainly 
give you warning, Mary." 

This awful threat had but little effect on one who 
thought herself on the brink of being buried be- 
neath the Avaves, besides being too sick to care 
whether she died the next minute or not ; and even 
Miss Perceval's voice became drowned at last in 
the tremendous storm which raged throughout the 
night, during which the captain rather increased 

21 



310 AN UNEXriXTED VOYAGE. 

Laura's panic, if that were possible, l>y considerate- 
ly putting his head into the cabin now and then to 
say, " Don't be afraid, ladies ! There ia no danger !' r 

" But I must come up and see what you arc 
about, Captain!" exclaimed Miss Perceval. 

" You had better be still, ma'am," replied Mrs 
Crabtree. " It is as well to be drowned in bed 
as on deck." 

Nothing gives a more fearful idea of the help- 
lessness of man, and the wrath of God, than a 
tempestuous sea during the gloom of midnight ; 
and every mind on board became awed into silence 
and solemnity during this war of elements, till 
at length, towards morning, while the hurricane 
seemed yet raging with undiminished fury, Laura 
suddenly gave an exclamation of rapture, on hear- 
ing a sailor at the helm begin to sing " Tom Bow- 
ling." " Now I feel sure the danger is over," said 
she, " otherwise that man could not have the heart 
to sing ! If I live a century, I shall always like a 
sailor's song for the future." 

It is seldom that any person's thankfulness after 
danger bears a fair proportion to the fear they 
felt while it lasted ; but Harry and Laura had been 
taught to remen.ber where their gratitude was due, 
and felt it the more deeply next day, when they 
entered the Yarmouth Koads, and were shewn tlio 
masts of several vessels, appearing partly abovo 



A if UNEXPECTED VOYAGE. 311 

the water, which had on various occasions been lost 
in that wilderness of shoals, where so many me- 
lancholy catastrophes have occurred. 

After sailing up the Thames, and duly staring 
at Greenwich Hospital, the hulks, and the Tower 
of London, they landed at last; and having offered 
Mrs Crabtree a place in the hackney coach, they 
hurried impatiently into it, eager for the happy 
moment of meeting with Frank. Harry, in his 
ardour, thought that no carriage had ever driven 
so slowly before. He wished there had been a rail 
road through the town ; and, far from wasting a 
thought upon the novelties of Holborn or Picca- 
dilly, he and Laura gained no idea of the metro- 
polis more distinct than that of the Irishman who 
complained he could not see London for the quan- 
tity of houses. One only idea filled their hearts, 
and brightened their countenances, while they 
looked at each other with a smile of delight, say- 
ing, " Now, at last, we are going to see Frank!" 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE ARRIVAL. 



A'hat id life ? a varied talc, 

Deeply moving, quickly told. 

Willis. 



M Oil ! what a lovely cottage !" exclaimed Laura, 
in an ecstacy of joy, when they stopped before a 
beautiful house, with large, airy windows down to 
the ground ; walls that seemed one brilliant mass 
of roses ; rich flowery meadows in front, and a 
bright, smooth lawn behind, stretching down to the 
broad bosom of the Thames, which reflected on us 
glassy surface innumerable boats, filled with gay 
groups of merry people. " That is such a place as 
1 have often dreamed of, but never saw before ! 
It seems made for perfect happiness !" 

" Yes ! how delightful to live here with Frank 
and uncle David!" added Harry. " We shall he 
hailing on the water nil day !" 



THE ARRIVAL. 313 

The cottage-gate was now opened, and Major 
Graham himself appeared under the porch ; but 
instead of hurrying forward, as he always formerly 
did, to welcome them after the very shortest se- 
paration, he stood gravely and silently at the door, 
without so much as raising his eyes from theground ; 
and the paleness of his countenance filled both 
Harry and Laura with astonishment. They flew 
to meet him, making an exclamation of joy; but 
after embracing them affectionately, he did not 
utter a word, and led the way, with hurried and 
agitated steps, into a sitting-room. 

"Where is Frank 1" exclaimed Harry, looking 
eagerly round. " Why is he not here? Call him 
down ! Tell him we are come !" 

A long pause ensued ; and Laura trembled 
when she looked at her uncle, who was some mo- 
ments before he could speak, and sat down taking 
each of them by the hand, with such a look of sor- 
row and commiseration, that they were filled with 
alarm. 

" My dear Harry and Laura !" said he, solemnly, 
" you have never known grief till now; but if you 
love me listen with composure. I have sad news 
to tell, yet it is of the very greatest consequence 
that you should bear up with fortitude. Frank is 
extremely ill ; and the joy he felt about your com- 
ing lias agitated him so m"pli, that lio is worne 



314 THE ARRIVAL. 

than you can possibly conceive. It probably de- 
pends upon your conduct now, whether he sur- 
vives this night or not. Frank knows you aro 
here ; he is impatient for you to embrace him ; 
he becomes more and more agitated every moment 
the meeting is delayed ; yet if you give May to 
childish grief, or even to childish joy, upon seeing 
him again, the doctors think it may cause his im- 
mediate death. You might hear his breathing in 
any part of this house. He is in the lowest ex- 
treme of weakness ! It will be a dreadful scene 
for you both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you 
trust yourselves ? Can you, for Frank's own sake, 
enter his room this moment, as quietly as if you 
had seen him yesterday, and speak to him with 
composure \ " 

Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the 
very earth had opened under her feet, — a choking 
sensation arose in her throat, — her colour fled, — 
her limbs shook, — her whole countenance became 
convulsed with anguish, — but making a resolute 
effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, and then 
said, in a low, almost inaudible voice, 

' : Uncle David! we are able, — God will strength- 
en us. I dare not think a moment. The sooner 
it is done the better. Let us go now" 

Major Graham slowly led the way without .speak- 
ing, till he reached the bed-room door, where he 



THE AHIIIVAL. 3.15 

paused for a moment, while Harry and Laura lis- 
tened to the gasping sound of Frank struggling 
for breath. 

" Remember you will scarcely know him," whis- 
pered he, looking doubtfully at Laura's pallid coun- 
tenance ; " but a single expression of emotion may 
be fatal. Shew your lore for Frank now, my dear 
children. Spare him all agitation ; — forget your 
own feelings for his sake." 

When Harry and Laura entered the room Frank 
buried his face in his hands, and leaned them on 
the table, saying, in convulsive accents, " Go away, 
Laura ! — oh go away just now ! I cannot bear it 
yet ! — leave me ! — leave me !" 

If Laura had been turned into marble at the mo- 
ment, she could not have seemed more perfectly 
calm, for her mind was wound up to an almost 
supernatural effort, and advancing to the place 
where he sat, without attempting to speak, she 
took Frank by the hand — Harry did the same ; and 
not a sound was heard for some moments, but the 
convulsive struggles of Frank himself, while he 
gasped for breath, and vainly tried to speak, till 
at length he raised his head and fixed his eyes on 
Laura. Then, for the first time, was she struck 
with the dreadful conviction that this meeting was 
but a prelude to their immediate and final separa- 
tion. The pale, ashy cheek, the hollow eye, the 



316 THE ARRIVAL. 

Bharp and altered features, all told a tale of an- 
guish such as she had never before conceived, and 
a cold tremor passed through her frame, as she 
stood amazed and bewildered with grief, while the 
past, the present, and the future seemed all one 
mighty heap of agony. Still she gazed steadily 
on Frank, and said nothing, conscious that the 
smallest indulgence of emotion would bring forth 
a torrent which nothing could control, and deter- 
mined, unless her heart ceased to beat, that he 
should see nothing to increase his agitation. 

At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank 
was able to speak, and looking with affectionate 
sympathy at Laura, he said, " Do not think, dear 
sister, that I always suffer as you see me now. 
This joy has been too much for me. I shall soon 
feel easier." 

Major Graham observed a livid paleness come 
over Laura's countenance, when she attempted to 
answer, and seeing it was impossible to sustain the 
trial a moment longer, he made a pretext to hurry 
her away. Harry instantly followed, and rushing 
into a vacant room, lie threw himself down in an 
agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the very 
bed shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and 
Major Oraham left them to exhaust their grief in 
weeping together, but every moment seemed only 
te increase their agitation, as the conviction he 



TI1E ARRIVAL. 317 

came more fearfully certain, that Frank was indeed 
lost to them for eyer. This, then, was the meet- 
ing they had so often and so joyously anticipated ! 
Laura sunk upon her knees beside Harry, and 
prayers were mingled with their tears, while they 
asked for consolation, and tried to feel resigned 
" Alas !" thought she, solemnly, " how truly did 
grandmama say, ' If the sorrows of tins world are 
called " light afflictions," what must be those from 
which Christ died to save us !' It is merciful that 
we are not forbid to weep ; for, oh ! who ever lost 
such a brother? — the kindest — the best of brothers ! 
— dear, dear Frank ! — can nothing be done ! Uncle 
David," added Laura, clinging to Major Graham, 
when he entered the room, " oh ! say something to 
us about Frank getting better, — do you think he 
will? May we have a hope? — one single hope to 
live upon, that Frank may possibly be spared; do 
not turn away — do not look so very sad — think 
how young Frank is, — and the doctors are so skilful 
— and — and — oh, uncle David! he is dying! I see 
it! I must believe it!" continued she, wringing her 
hands with grief. "You cannot give us one word 
of hope, though the whole world would be nothing 
without him." 

"My dear, — my very dear Laura! remember that 
consoling text in Holy Scripture, ' Be still, and 
know that I am God;' — we have no idea what lie 



318 THE ARRIVAL. 

can do in saving ns from sorrow, or in comforting 
us when it comes ; therefore let us seek peace from 
Him, and believe that all shall indeed be ordered 
well, even though our own hearts were to be broken 
with affliction. Frank has seen old nurse Crab- 
tree, and is now in a refreshing sleep ; therefore I 
wish you to take the opportunity of sitting in his 
room, and accustoming yourselves, if possible, to 
the sight of his altered appearance. He is some- 
times very cheerful, and always patient ; therefore 
we must keep up our own spirits, and try to assist 
him in bearing his sufferings, rather than increase 
them by shewing what we feel ourselves. I was 
pleased with you both this morning — that meeting 
ras no common effort ; and now we must shew our 
submission to the Divine will, difficult as that may 
be, by a deep heartfelt resignation to whatever Ho 
ordains." 

Harry and Laura still felt stupified with grief, 
but they mechanically followed Major Graham into 
Frank's room, and sat down in a distant corner 
behind his chair, observing with awe and astonish- 
ment his pallid countenance, his emaciated hands, 
and his drooping figure, while scarcely yet able to 
believe that this was indeed their own beloved 
Frank. After they had remained immoveably still 
for some time, though shedding many bitter tears, 
as they gazed on the wreck of one so very dear, 



THE ARRIVAL. 319 

he suddenly started awake, and glanced anxiously 
round the room, then with a look of deep disap- 
pointment, he said to uncle David, in low, feeble 
accents, 

" It was only a dream ! I hare often dreamed 
the same thing, when far away at sea — that would 
have been too much happiness ! I fancied Harry 
and Laura were here !'' 

" It was no dream, dear Frank ! we are here," 
eaid Laura, trying to speak in a quiet, subdued 
voice. 

"My dear sister! then all is well; but pray sit 
always Avhere I can see you. After wishing so 
long for our meeting, it appears nearly impossible 
that we are together at last." 

Frank became exhausted with speaking so much, 
but pointed to a seat near himself, where Harry and 
Laura sat down, after which he gazed at them long 
and earnestly, with a look of affectionate pleasure ; 
wnile his smile, which had lost all its former cheer- 
fulness, was now full of tenderness and sensibility. 
At length his countenance gradually changed, while 
large tears gathered in his eyes, and coursed each 
other silently down his cheeks. Thoughts of the 
deepest sadness seemed passing through his mind 
during some moments, but checking the heavy 
sigh that rose in his breast, he rivetted hi3 handa 
together, and looked towards heaven with an ex- 



320 THE ARRIVAL. 

prcssion of placid submission, saying these wordg 
in a scarcely audible tone, though evidently ad- 
dressed to those around, 

" Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh 
in the morning." — "We know that if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle he dissolved, we have a 
building of God, an house not made with hands, 
eternal in the heavens." — " Weep ye not for the 
dead, neither bemoan him ; hut weep sore for him 
that goeth away : for he shall return no more, nor 
see his native country."* 

These words fell upon the ear of Harry and 
Laura like a knell of death, for they now saw that 
Frank himself believed he was dying, and it ap- 
peared as if their last spark of hope expired when 
they heard this terrible dispensation announced 
from his own lips. He seemed anxious now that 
they should understand his full meaning, and re- 
ceive all the consolation which his mind could 
afford, for he closed his eyes, and added in solemn 
accents, 

" I must have died at some time, and why not 
now ? If I leave friends who are very dear on earth, 
I go to my chief best friend in heaven. The whole 
peace and comfort of my mind rest on thinking 
of our Saviour's merits. Let us all be ready to 
Bay. • The will of the Lord be done.' Think often, 

* Jeremiah xxii. 10 



TUB ARRIVAL. 321 

Harry and Laura, of those words we so frequently 
repeated to grandmania formerly : 

' Take comfort, Christians, when your friend* 

In Jesus fall asleep ; 
Their better being never ends ; 
Why then dejected weep ? 

Why inconsolable, as those 

To whom no hope is giv'n ? 
Death is the messenger of peace, 

And calls ' my' soul to heav'n.'" 

Frank's voice failed, his head fell back upon the 
pillows, and he remained for a length of time with 
his eyes closed in solemn meditation and prayer, 
while Laura and Harry, unable so much as to look 
at each other, leaned upon the table, and wept in 
silence. 

Laura felt as if she had grown old in a moment, 
— as if life could give no more joy — and as if she 
herself stood already on the verge of the grave. 
It appeared like a dream that she had ever been 
happy, and a dreadful reality to which she was now 
awakened. " Behold, God taketh away ! who can 
hinder Him ? who will say unto Him, What doest 
thou !" " Cease ye from man, whose breath is in 
his nostrils." These were texts which forced them- 
selves on her mind, with mournful emphasis, while 
she felt how helpless is earthly affection when the 
dispensations of God are upon us. A^ 1 her love 



322 THE ARRIVAL 

for Frank could not avert the stroke of death, — 
all his attachment to her must now be buried in the 
grave, — and the very* tenderness they felt for each 
other only embittered the sorrow of this dread- 
ful moment. 

From that day, Harry and Laura, according to 
the advice of uncle David, testified their affection 
for Frank, not by tears and useless lamenlations, 
though these were not always to be controlled in 
private, but by the incessant, devoted attention 
with which they watched his looks, anticipa 1 ed his 
wishes, and thought every exertion a pleasun fflrich 
could in the slightest degree contribute to hin com- 
fort. Frank, on his part, spared their feelings, by 
often concealing what he suffered, and by speak- 
ing of his own death, as if it had been a journey 
on which he must prepare with readiness to enter 
reminding them, that never to die was never to be 
happy, as all they saw him endure from sickness, 
became nothing to what he endured from strug- 
gling against sin and temptation, which were the 
great evils of existence, — and that from all theso 
he would be for ever freed by death. " Those who 
are prepared for the change," added he, solemnly, 
" can neither live too long, nor die too soon ; for 
when God gives us His blessing, He then sends 
heaven, as it were, into the soul before the soul 
ascends to heaven ; and I trust to being gifted with 



THE ARRIVAL. 323 

faith and submission for all that may be ordained 
during my few remaining hours upon earth." 

Yet, with every desire to feel resigned, Frank 
himself was sometimes surprised out of his usual 
fortitude, especially when thinking that he must 
never more hope to see Lady Harriet, towards 
whom he cast many a longing and affecting thought, 
saying once, with deep emotion, " If I could only 
see grandmama again, I should feel quite well!" 
One evening, as he sat near an open window, gaz- 
ing on the rich tints of twilight, and breathing with 
more than usual ease, a wandering musician paused 
with her guitar, and sung several airs with great 
pathos and expression. At length she played the 
tune of " Home ! sweet home !" to which Frank 
listened for some moments with intense agitation, 
till, clasping his hands and bursting into tears, he 
exclaimed, in accents of powerful emotion, 

"Home! That happy home! Oh! never — never 
more, — my home is in the grave." 

Laura wept convulsively while he added, in bro- 
ken accents, " I shall still be remembered still 

lamented you must not love me too well, Laura, 

— not as I love you, or your sorrow would be too 
great ; but long hence, when Harry and you are 
happy together, surrounded with friends, think 
sometimes of one who must for ever be absent. — 
who loved you hotter than them all, — whose last 



c.» ( M THE A U RIVAL. 

prayer will be for you both. Oh ! who can tell what 
my feelings are ! I can do nothing now but cause 
distress and anguish to those who love me best!' 

" Frank, I would not exchange your affection for 
the wealth of worlds. As long as I live, it will be 
my greatest earthly happiness to have had sr.ch a 
brother ; and if we are to suffer a sorrow that I can- 
not name, and dare not think of, you are teaching 
me how to bear it, and leaving us the only comfort 
we can have, in knowing that you are happy." 

" Many plans and many hopes I had for the 
future, Laura," added Frank ; " but there is no 
future to me now in this world. Perhaps I may 
escape a multitude of sorrows, but how gladly 
would I have shared all yours, and ensured my best 
happiness, by uniting with Harry and you in living 
to God. If you both learn more by my death than 
by my life, then, indeed, I do rejoice. With re- 
spect to myself it matters but little, a few years or 
hours sooner ; for I may say, in the words of Jo 6, 
' Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.' " 

Frank's sufferings increased every day, and be- 
came so very great at last, that the doctor pro- 
posed giving him strong doses of laudanum, to 
bring on a stupor and allay the pain ; but when 
this was mentioned to him he said, " I know it is 
my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and I cer- 
tainly shall; but if wc can do without opiates, let 



THE AEEIVAIi. 325 

me entreat you to refrain from them. Often for- 
merly at sea I used to think it very sad how few 
of those I attended in sickness, Averc allowed by the 
physician to die in possession of their senses on 
account of being made to take laudanum, which 
gave them false spirits, and temporary ease. Let 
me retain my faculties as long as they are merci- 
fully granted to me. I can bear pain, — at least, 
God grant me strength to do so, — but I cannot 
willingly enter the presence of my Creator in a state 
little short of intoxication." 

Many days of agony followed this resolution on 
the part of Frank ; but though the medicine, which 
would have brought some hours of oblivion, lay 
within reach, he persevered in wishing to preserve 
his consciousness, whatever suffering it might 
cost ; and though now and then a prayer for bodily 
relief was wrung from him in his acute agony, toie 
most frequent and fervent supplications that he 
uttered night and day were, in an accent of intense 
emotion, " God, have mercy upon my soul." 

Harry and Laura were surprised to find the 
fields and walks near London so very rural and 
beautiful as they appeared at Hammersmith, and 
to meet with much more simplicity and kindness 
among the common people than they had an tici pa- 
tee. The poorer neighbours, who became aware oi 
their affliction, teRtified a degree of sympathy which. 



326 THE ARRIVAL. 

frequently astonished them, and was often after- 
wards remembered with pleasure, one instance of 
which seemed peculiarly touching to Laura. Frank 
always suffered most acutely during the night, and 
seldom closed his eyes in sleep till morning, there- 
fore she invariably remained with him. to beguile 
those weary hours ; while any remonstrance on his 
part against so fatiguing a duty, became a mere 
waste of words, as she only grew sadder and paler, 
saying, there would be time enough to take care 
of herself, when she could no longer be of use to 
him. The earliest thing that gave any relief to 
Frank's cough every day, generally was a tumbler 
of milk, warm from the cow, which had been or- 
dered for him, and was brought almost as soon as 
the dawn of light. Once, when Frank had been 
unusuallyill,and sighed in restless agony till morn- 
ing, Laura watched impatiently for day, and when 
the milkman Avas seen at six o'clock, slowly trudjr- 
ing through the fields, and advancing leisurely to- 
wards the house, Laura hurried eagerly down to 
meet him, exclaiming, in accents of joy, while she 
held out the tumbler, " Oh, I am so glad you are 
come at last !" 

" At last, Miss ! ! I am as early as usual ! " re- 
plied he, gruffly. " It's not many poor folks that 
sets up so soon to their work, and if you had to 



THE ARRIVAL. 327 

labour as hard as me all day, you would maybe think 
the morning came too soon." 

" I am seldom in bed all night," answered Laura, 
sadly. " My poor, sick brother cannot rest till this 
milk is brought, and I wait with him, hour after 
hour till day-light, wearying for you to come." 

The old dairyman looked with sorrowful sur- 
prise at Laura, while she, thinking no more of what 
had passed, hurried away; but next morning, when 
sitting up with Frank, she became surprised to ob- 
serve the milkman a whole hour earlier than usual, 
plodding along towards his cattle at a peculiarly 
rapid pace. He stayed not more than five minutes, 
only milking one cow, though all the others gather- 
ed round him, and as soon as he had filled his little 
pail, he came straight towards Major Graham's 
cottage, and knocked at the door. Laura instantly 
ran down to thank him with her whole heart for 
his kind attention, after which, as long as Frank 
continued ill, the old dairyman rose long before his 
usual time, to bring this welcome refreshment. 

Frank desired Laura to beg that he would not 
take so much trouble, or else to insist on his ac- 
cepting some remuneration, but the old man would 
neither discontinue the custom, nor receive any re- 
compense. 

"Let me see this kind, good dairyman, to thank 



S28 THE ARRIVAL. 

him myself," said Frank, one night, when he felt 
rather easier ; and next morning, Laura invited 
poor Teddy Collins to walk up stairs, who looked 
exceedingly astonished, though very much pleased 
at the proposal, saying, "Maybe, Ma'am, the poor, 
young gentleman would not like to see a stranger 
like me !" 

" No one is a stranger who feels for him as you 
have done," replied Laura, leading the way, and 
Frank's countenance lighted up with a smile of 
pleasure when they entered his room. He held 
out his thin, emaciated hand to Teddy, who looked 
earnestly and sorrowfully in his face as he grasped 
hold of it, saying, " You look very poorly, Sir ! 
I'm afraid indeed you are sadly ill." 

" That I am ! as ill as any one can be on this 
side of eternity ! My tale is told, my days are num- 
bered ; but I would not go out of this world with- 
out saying how grateful we both feel for your at- 
tention. As a cup of cold water given in Christian 
kindness shall hereafter he rewarded, I trust also 
that your attention to me may not be forgotten." 

" You are heartily welcome, Sir ! It is a great 
honour for a poor, old man like me to oblige any- 
body. I shall not long be able for work now, see- 
ing that I am upwards of threescore and ten, and 
my days are already full of labour and sorrow." 

" To both of us, then, the nijjht is far spent, and 



THE ARRIVAL. 329 

the day is at hand," replied Frank. " How strange 
it seems, that, old as you are, I am still older ; my 
feeble frame will be sooner worn out, and my body 
laid at rest in the grave ! Let me hope that you 
have already applied your heart to wisdom ; for 
every child of earth must, sooner or later, find how 
short is every thing but eternity. While I appear 
before you here as a spectacle of mortality, think 
how soon and how certainly you must follow. May 
you then find, as I do, that even in the last extreme 
of sickness and sorrow, there is comfort in look- 
ing forward to such blessings as ' eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard.' Farewell, my kind friend ! 
In this world we shall meet no more, but there is 
another and a better." 

The old man, apparently unwilling to withdraw, 
paused for some moments after Frank had ceased 
to speak. He muttered a few inaudible words in 
reply, and then slowly and sorrowfully left the 
room, while Frank's head sunk languidly on the 
pillows, and Laura retired to her room, where, as 
usual, she wept herself to sleep. 

When Harry and Laura first arrived at Ham- 
mersmith, Frank felt anxious that they should walk 
out every day for the benefit of their health ; but 
finding that each made frequent excuses for re- 
maining constantly with him at home, he invented a 
plan which induced them to take exercise regularly. 



330 THE ARRIVAL. 

Being early in June, Btrawberries were yet 80 
exceedingly rare, that they could scarcely be had 
for any money ; but the doctor had allowed his 
patient to eat fruit. Frank asked his two young 
attendants to wander about in quest of gardens 
where a few strawberries could be got, and to I ring 
him some. Accordingly, they set out one morn- 
ing ; and after a long, unsuccessful search, at last 
observed a small green-house near the road, with 
one little basket in the window, scarcely larger 
than a thimble, containing two or three delicious 
Kean's seedlings, perfectly ripe. These were to 
be sold for five shillings ; but hardly waiting to 
ascertain* the price, Laura seized this welcome prize 
with delight, and paid for it on the spot. Every 
morning afterwards, her regular walk was to hasten 
with Harry towards this pretty little shop, where 
they talked to the gardener about poor Frank being 
86 very ill, and told him that this fine fruit was 
wanted for their sick brother at home. 

One day the invalid seemed so much worse than 
usual, that neither Harry nor Laura could bear to 
leave him a moment; so they requested Mrr. Crab- 
tree to fetch the strawberries, which she readily 
agreed to do ; but on drawing out her purse in 
the shop, and saying that she came to buy that 
little basket of fruit at the window, what was her 
astonishment when the gardener looked civil and 



THE ARRIVAL. 331 

sorry, answering that he would not sell those straw- 
berries if she offered him a guinea a-piece. 

" No ! ! ' exclaimed Mrs Crahtree, getting into a 
rage ; " then what do yon put them up at the Avin- 
dowfor? There is no use p-'etrndinsr to keep a 
shop, if you will not sell whin is i , ic ! Give me 
these strawberries this minute, and here's your five 
shillings !" 

"It is quite nrpocsilil. ,; replied the gnrdenor, 
holding hack the basket. '-You see, Ma'am, every 
day last week,- a little Master and Miss came to 
this here shop, buying my strawberries f >r a young 
gentleman who is very ill ; and they look both so 
sweet and so mournful like, that I would not dis- 
appoint them for all the world. They seem later 
to-day than usual, and are, maybe, not coming at 
all ; but if I lose my day's profits, it can't be 
helped. They shall not walk here for nothing if 
they please to come !" 

When Mrs Crabtree explained that she belonged 
to the same family as Harry and Laura, the gar- 
dener looked hard at her to see if she were attempt- 
ing to deceive him ; but feeling convinced that she 
spoke the truth, he begged her to carry off the 
basket to his young friends, positively refusing to 
take the price, 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE LAST BIRTH-DAT. 

Mere human pow'r shall fast decay, 

And youthful vigour cease ; 
But they who wait upon the Lord 

In strength shall still increase. 

Frank felt no unnatural apathy or indifference 
about dying, for he looked upon it with awe, though 
not with fear ; nor did he express any rapturous 
excitement on the solemn occasion, knowing that 
death is an appointed penalty for transgression, 
which, though deprived of its sharpest sting by the 
triumphs of the Cross, yet awfully testifies to all 
succeeding generations, that each living man has 
individually merited the utmost wrath of God, and 
that the last moment on earth, of even the most 
devoted Christian, must be darkened by the gloom 
of our original sin and natural corruption. Yet. "as 
in Adam all die, so in Christ are all made alive;" 
and amidst the throng of consolatory and affect- 
ing meditations that crowded into his mind on the 



THE LAST BIRTH-DA V. 333 

great subject of our salvation, he kept a little book 
in which were carefully recorded such texts and re- 
flections as he considered likely to strengthen his 
own faith, and to comfort those he left behind — 
saying, one day, to Major Graham, 

" Tell grandmama, that though my days havo 
been few upon the earth, they were happy ! When 
you think of me, uncle David, after my sufferings 
are over, it may well be a pleasing remembrance, 
that you were always the best, the kindest of 
friends. Oh ! how kind ! — but I must not — can- 
not speak of that . This is my birth-day ! my 

last birth-day ! Many a joyous one we kept to- 
gether, but those merry days are over, and these 
sadder ones too shall cease ; yet the time is fast 
approaching, so welcome to us both, 

' When death-divided friends at last 
Shall meet to part no more.' " 

In the evening, Major Graham observed that 
Frank made Mrs Crabtree bring everything be- 
longing to him, and lay it on the table, when he 
employed himself busily in tying up a number of 
little parcels, remarking, with a languid smile, 

" My possessions are not valuable, but these are 
for some old friends and messmates, who will be 
pleased to receive a trifling memorial of one who 
loved them. Send my dirk to Peter Grey, who is 
quite reformed now. He is the bravest officer and 



334 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY 

the kindest friend in the world ! Here are all the 
letters any of you ever sent me ; how very often 
they have been read ! but now, even that inter- 
course must end ; keep them, for they were the 
dearest treasures I possessed. At Madras, for- 
merly, I remember hearing of a nabob who was 
bringing his whole fortune home in a chest of gold, 
but the ropes for hoisting his treasure on board 
were so insufficient, that the whole gave way, and 
it fell into the ocean never to be recovered. That 
seemed a very sudden termination of his hopes and 
plans, but scarcely more unexpected than my own. 
' We are a wind that passeth away, and cometh not 
again.' Many restless nights are ordained for me 
now, probably that I may find no resource but 
prayer and meditation. Others can afford time to 
slumber, but I so soon shall sleep the sleep of death, 
that it becomes a blessing to have such hours of 
solitary thought, for preparing my heart and esta- 
blishing my faith, during this moment of need." 

" Yes, Frank ! but your prayers are not solitary, 
for ours are joined to yours," added Laura. " I 
read in an old author lately, that Christian friends 
in this world might be compared to travellers going 
along the same road in separate carriages— some- 
times they are together — often they are apart — 
sometimes they can exchange assistance, as we do 
now — and often they jostle against each other, til/ 



THE LAST B1KTII-])AY 335 

at last, having reached the journey's end, they are 
removed out of these earthly vehicles into a better 
state, where they shall look back upon former cir- 
cumstances, and know even as they are known." 

Laura was often astonished to observe the 
change which had taken place in her own charac- 
ter and feelings, within the very short period of 
their distress. Her extreme terror of a thunder- 
storm formerly had occasioned many a jest to her 
brothers, when Harry used, occasionally, to roll 
heavy weights in the room above her own, to imi- 
tate the loudest peals, while Frank sometimes en- 
deavoured to argue her out of that excessive appre- 
hension with which she listened to the most distant 
surmise of a storm. Now, however, at Hammer- 
smith, long after midnight, the moon, on one occa- 
sion, became completely obscured by dense heavy 
clouds, and the air felt so oppressively hot, that 
Frank, who seemed unusually breathless, drew 
closer to the window. Laura supported his head, 
and was deeply occupied in talking to him, when 
suddenly a broad flash of lightning glared into the 
room, followed by a crash of thunder, that seemed 
to crack the very heavens. Again and again, the 
lightning gleamed in her face with such vividness, 
that Laura fancied she could distinguish the heat 
of it, and yet she stirred not, nor did a single ex- 
clamation, as in former days, arise on her lips. 



336 THE LAST IJIKTII-DAY. 

"Pray, shut tlie ■window, Laura," said Frank, 
languidly raising liis eyes; " and be so kind as 
to close the shutters !" 

" Why, Frank? — you never used to be alarmed 
by thunder !" 

" No ! nor am I now, dear Laura. What dan- 
ger need a dying person fear \ Some few hours 
sooner or later would be of little consequence — 

Come he slow, or come he fast, 
It is but Death that comes at last. 

Yet, Laura, do you think I have forgotten old 
times ? Oh ! no ! — not while I lire. You attend 
to my feelings, and surely it is my duty to remem- 
ber yours." 

"Never mind me, Frank!" whispered Laura. 
" I have got over all that folly. When real fears 
and sorrows come, we care no more about those 
that were imaginary." 

" True, my dear sister ; and there is no courage 
or fortitude like that derived from faith in a super- 
intending Providence. Though all creation reel, 
we may sleep in peace , for, to Christians, { danger 
is safe, and tumult calm.'" 

When Frank grew worse, he became often de- 
lirious. Yet, as in health, he had been habitually 
cheerful, his mind generally wandered to agreeable 
subjects. lie fancied himself walking on the bright 



TUB LAST BIRTH-DAY. 337 

meadows, and picking flowers by the river side,— 
talking to Peter Grey, — meeting Lady Harriet, and 
even speaking to his father, as if Sir Edward had 
been present; while Harry and Laura listened, 
weeping and trembling, to behold the wreck of such 
a mind and heart as his. One evening he seemed 
unusually well, and requested that his arm-chair 
might be wheeled to the open window, where he 
gazed with delight at the hills and meadows, — the 
clouds and glittering water, — the cattle standing 
in the stream, — the boats reflected on its surface, 
— and the roses fluttering at every casement. 

" Those joyous little birds ! — their song makes 
me cheerful," said he, in a tone of placid enjoy- 
ment. " I have been in countries where the birds 
never sing, and the leaves never fade ; but they 
excited no sympathy or interest. Here we have 
notes of gladness both in sunshine and storm, 
teaching us a lesson of grateful contentment, — 
while those drooping roses preach a sermon to me, 
for as easilymight they recover freshness and bloom 
as myself. We shall both lie low before long in 
the dust, yet a spring shall come hereafter to re- 
vive even the ' ashes of the urn.' Then, uncle Da- 
vid, we meet again, — not as now, amidst sorrow 
and suffering, with death and separation before us, 
but blessed by the consciousness that our sins aro 
forgiven, — our trials all ended,— and that our af- 



338 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 

flictions, which were but for a moment, have worked 
out for us a far more exceeding, even an eternal 
freight of glory." 

Some hours afterwards, the doctor entered. 
After receiving a cordial welcome from Frank, and 
feeling his pulse, he instantly examined his arms 
and neck, which were covered entirely over with 
small red spots, upon observing which, the friendly 
physician suddenly changed countenance, and stole 
an alarmed glance at Major Graham. 

" I feel easier and better to-day, doctor, than at 
any time since my illness," said Frank, looking 
earnestly in his face. " Do you think this erup- 
tion will do me good \ Life has much that would 
be dear to me, while I have friends like these to 
live for. Can it be possible that I may yet re- 
cover ?" 

The doctor turned away, unable to reply, while 
Frank intensely watched his countenance, and then 
gazed at the pale, agitated face of Major Graham. 
Gradually the hope which had brightened in his 
cheek began to fade, — the lustre of his eve became 
dim, — his countenance settled into an expression 
of mournful resignation, — and coveringhis face with 
his hands, he said, in a voice of deep emotion, 

" I see how it is !— God's will be done !" 

The silence of death succeeded, while Frank laid 
his head on the pillow and closed his eyos. A 



THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 339 

few natural tears coursed each other slowly down 
Lis cheek ; but at length, an hour or two after- 
wards, being completely exhausted, he fell into a 
gentle sleep, from which the doctor considered it 
very doubtful if he would ever awaken, as the red 
spots indicated mortification, which must inevitably 
terminate his life before next day. 

Laura retired to the window, making a strenuous 
effort to restrain her feelings, that she might be 
enabled to witness the last awful scene ; and fer- 
vently did she pray for such strength to sustain 
it with fortitude, as might still render her of some 
use to her dying brother. Her pale countenance 
might almost have been mistaken for that of a 
corpse, but for the expression of living agony in 
her eye; and she was sunk in deep, solemn thought, 
when her attention became suddenly roused by ob- 
serving a chariot and four drive furiously up to 
the gate, while the horses were foaming and pant- 
ing as they stopped. A tall gentleman, of exceed- 
ingly striking appearance, sprung hurriedly out, 
walked rapidly towards the cottage door, and in 
another minute entered Frank's room, with the 
animated look of one who expected to be gladly 
welcomed, and to occasion an agreeable surprise. 

Harry and Laura shrunk close to their uncle, 
when the stranger, now in evident agitation, gazed 
round the room with aj\ air of painful astonish- 



S40 THE LAST BIRT11-DAY. 

ment, till Major Graham looked round, and instant- 
ly started up with an exclamation of amazement, 
" Edward ! is it possible ! This is indeed a con- 
..widxion ! you are still in time!" 

" In time ! !" exclaimed Sir Edward, grasping 
his brother's hand with vehement agitation. " Do 
you mean to say that Frank is yet in danger !" 

Major Graham mournfully shook his head, and 
undrawing the bed-curtains, he silently pointed to 
the sleeping countenance of Frank, which was as 
still as death, and already overspread by a ghastly 
paleness. Sir Edward then sunk into a chair, and 
clenched his hands over his forehead with a look 
of unspeakable anguish, saying, in an under tone ; 
" Worn out as I am, in mind and body, I needed 
not this to destroy me ! Say at once, brother, is 
there any hope 1 " 

" None, my dear Edward ! None ! Even uow t he 
is insensible, and I fear with little prospect of ever 
becoming conscious again." 

At this moment, Frank opened his eyes, which 
were dim and glassy, while it became evident that 
he had relapsed into a state of temporary delirium, 

" Get more candles ! how very dark.it is !" ho 
said. "Who are all those people? Send away 
everybody but grandmaina ! I must spe;ik to her 
alone. Never tell papa of all this, it would only dis- 
tress him — say notliing about me. Why do Harrj 



THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 341 

and Laura never come ? They have been absent 
more than a week ! Who took away uncle David 
too?" 

Laura listened for sometime in an agony of grief, 
till at last, unable any longer to restrain her feel- 
ings, she clasped Frank in her arms, and burst into 
tears, exclaiming, in accents of piercing distress, 
" Oh Frank ! Frank ! have you forgotten poor 
Laura?" 

" Not till I am dead ! " whispered he, while a 
momentary gleam of recollection lighted up his face. 
" Not even then ! Laura ' we meet again." 

Sir Edward now wished to speak, but Frank had 
relapsed into a state of feeble unconsciousness, 
from which nothing could arouse him ; once or 
twice he repeated the name of Laura in a low, me- 
lancholy voice, till it became totally inaudible — 
his breath became shorter — his lips became livid 
■ — his whole frame seemed convulsed — and some 
hours afterwards, all that was mortal of Frank 
Graham ceased to exist. About four in the morn- 
ing his body was at rest, and his spirit returned 
to God who gave it. 

The candles had burned Ioav in their sockets, and 
still the mourners remained, unwilling to move 
from the awful scene of their bereavement. Mrs 
Crabtree at length, who laid out the body herself, 
extinguished the lights, and flung open the wiu- 

23 



342 tfHE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 

(low-curtains. Then suddenly a bright blaze of 
sunshine streamed into the room, and rested on 
the cold, pale face of the dead. To the stunned 
and bewildered senses of Harry and Laura, the 
brilliant dawn of morning seemed like a mockery 
of their distress. Many persons were already pass- 
ing by — the busy stir of life had begun, and a boy 
strolling along the road whistled his merry tune 
as he went gaily on. 

"We are indeed mere atoms in the world!" 
thought Laura, bitterly, while these sights and 
sounds fell heavily on her heart. " If Harry and 
I had been dead also, the sun would have shone 
as brightly the birds sung as joyfully, and those 
people been all as gay and happy as ever ! Nobody 
is thinking of Frank — nobody knows our misery — 
the world is going on as if nothing nad Iiappened v 
and Ave are breaking our hearts with grief!" 

Laura's agony became calm as she gazed on the 
peaceful and almost happy expression of those 
beautiful features, which had now lost all appear- 
ance of suffering. The eyes, from which nothing 
but kindness and love had beamed upon her, were 
now closed for ever ; the lips which had spoken 
only words of generous affection and pious hope, 
were silent ; and the heart which had beat with 
every warm and brotherly feeling, was for the first 
time insensible to her sorrows ; yet Laura did not 



THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 343 

give way to the strong excess of her grief, for it 
sunk upon her spirit with a leaden weight of an- 
guish, which tears and lamentations could not ex- 
press, and could not even relieve. She rose and 
kissed, for the last time, that beloved countenance 
which she was never to look upon again till they 
met in heaven, and stole away to the silence and 
solitude of her own room, where she tried in vain to 
collect her thoughts. All seemed a dreary blank. 
She did not sigh — she could not weep ; but she sat 
in dark and vacant abstraction, with one only 
consciousness filling her mind — the bitter remem- 
brance that Frank was dead — that she could be of 
no further use to him — that she could have no fu- 
ture intercourse with him — that even in her prayers 
she could no longer have the comfort of naming 
him ; and when at last she turned to his own Bible, 
which he had given her, to seek for consolation, 
her eyes refused their office, and the pages became 
blistered with tears. 

After Frank's funeral, Sir Edward became too 
ill to leave his bed ; and Major Graham remained 
with him in constant conversation ; while Harry 
and Laura did everything to testify their affection 
and to fill the place now so sadly vacant. 

On the following Sunday, several of the congre- 
gation at Hammersmith observed two young stran- 
gers in the rector's pew, dressed in the deepest 



344 THE LAST BIRTH-DAY C 

mourning, with pale and downcast countenances, 
•who glided early into church, and sat immoveably 
still, side by side, while Mr Palmer gave out for his 
text, the affecting and appropriate words which 
Frank himself had often repeated during his last 
illness : " In an hour that ye think not, the Son of 
man cometh." 

Not a tear was shed by either Harry or Laura, 
— their grief was too great for utterance ; yet they 
listened with breathless interest to the sermon, in- 
tended not only to console them, but also to in- 
struct other young persons from the afflicting event 
of Frank's death. 

Mr Palmer took this opportunity to describe all 
the amiable dispositions of youth, and to shew how 
much of what is pleasing may appear before re- 
ligion has yet taken entire possession of the mind ; 
but he painted in glowing colours the beautiful con- 
sistency and harmony of character which must en- 
sue after that happy change, when the Holy Spirit 
renews the heart, and influences the life. It almost 
seemed to Harry and Laura as if Frank were visibly 
before their eyes, when Mr Palmer spoke in elo- 
quent terms of that humility which no praise could 
diminish, — that benevolence which attended to the 
feelings as well as the wants of others, — that 
affection which was ever ready to make any sacri- 
fice for those he loved, — that docility which obeyed 



THE LAST BIRTH-DAY. 345 

the call of duty on every occasion, — that meek- 
ness in the midst of provocation which could not 
be irritated, — that gentle firmness in maintaining 
the truths of the Grospw, which no opposition could 
intimidate, — that cheerful submission to suffering 
which saw a hand of mercy in the darkest hour, 
— and that faith which was ever " forgetting those 
things which are behind, and reaching forth 'zato 
those things which are before, pressing toward tho 
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in 
Christ Jesus." 

It seemed as if years had passed over the heads 
of Harry and Laura during the short period of their 
absence from home — that home where Frank had so 
anxiously desired to go ! All was changed within 
and around them, — sorrow had filled their hearts ; 
and, no longer merry, thoughtless, young creatures, 
believing the world one scene of frolicsome enjoy- 
ment and careless ease, they had now witnessed 
its realities, — they had felt its trials, — they had ex- 
perienced the importance of religion, — they had 
learned the frailty of all earthly joy, — and they had 
received, amidst tears and sorrow, the last injunc- 
tion of a dying brother, to '• call upon the Lord 
while He is near, and to seek Him while He may 
yet be found." 

"Uncle David," said Laura, one day, several 
months after their return home, "Mrs Orabtree 



340 THE LAST BIRTH-DAT. 

first endeavoured to lead ua aright l>y severity, 
—you and grandmama then tried what kindness 
would do, but nothing was effectual till now, when 
God Himself has laid His hand upon us. Oh ! 
what a heavy stroke was necessary to bring me to 
my right mind ; but now, while we weep many bitter 
tears, Harry and I often pray together that good 
may come out of evil, and that we who mourn so 
deeply, may find our best, our only comfort from 
above." 

Unthinking, idle, wild, and young, 

I laugh 'd, and talk'd, and dane'd, and sung; 

And, proud of health, and frolic vain, 

Dream'd not of sorrow, care, or pain, 

Concluding, in those hours of glee, 

That all the world was made for mo. 

But when the days of trial came, 

"When sorrow shook this trembling frame, 

When folly's gay pursuits were o'er, 

And I could dance or sing no more ; 

It then occur'd how sad 'twould be 

Were this world only made for me. 

rniKCEsa AMKUA. 



Londuu: SWIFT & Co., Printers, 2, .Newton Street, Ui-h Uulberu, W\C. 
1-12-73Q— C-83-o-ll. 



POSTSCRIPT. 

It is now many years since a merry deputation 
of young people presented themselves before the 
author to make a united request that she would 
publish a continuation ©f Holiday House. 
One lively little girl of nine years old then ex- 
pressed herself exceedingly dissatisfied with the 
last chapter, which she had re-written, in large 
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Sir Edward Graham. 



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12. The Gentlemen Adventurers ; or, Antony Waymouth. By 

W. H. G. Kingston. With full-page Engravings. 

13. Sandford and Merton (The History of). By Thomas Day. 

With 100 Engravings by Dalziel Brothers. 

14. The Boy's Own Sea Stories. Being the Adventures of a 

Sailor in the Navy, the Merchant Service, and on a Whaling Cruise. Told 
by Himself. With iill-page Engravings. 

16. Great Inventors: The Sources of their Usefulness, and the Re- 

suits of their Efforts. With 109 Engravings. 

17. The Marvels of Nature; or, Outlines of Creation. With 400 

Engravings by Dalziel Erothers. 

18. The Boy's Own Book of Manufactures and Industries of 

the World. With 365 Engravings by Dalziel Brothers. 



London: WARD, LOCK & CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



ILLUSTRATED GIFT BOOKS. 



The Good Worth Library— -continued. 

19. Famous Boys, and How they Became Famous Men. With 

many Engravings. 

20. Triumphs of Perseverance and Enterprise. By Thomas 

Cooper. With many Engravings. 

21. The Crusades and Crusaders. The Story of the Struggle for 

the Holy Sepulchre. By J. G. Edgar. With full-page Engravings. 

22. The Merchant's Clerk ; or, Mark Wilton. By Rev. C. B. 

Tayler, M.A. With full-page and other Engravings. 

23. The Young Marooners ; or, The Adventures of Robert and 

Harold on the Florida Coast. With many Engravings. 

24. Holiday House. By Catherine Sinclair. With full-page 

Engravings. 

25. The Boy's Book of Modern Travel and Adventure. With 

many Engravings. 

26. Mary Bunyan, the Blind Daughter of John Bunyan. By Sallie 

Rochester Ford. With full-page Engravings. 

27. The Scottish Chiefs. By Jane Porter. With full-page En- 

gravings. 

30. Life Thoughts. Gathered from the Extemporaneous Discourses 

of Henrv Ward Beecher. With Red Border Lines. 

31. The Christian Life. Bible Helps and Counsels for Every Day 

throughout the Year. With Red Border Lines. 

32. The Perfect Life. By William E. Channing. 

33. Sacred Heroes and Martyrs. By J. T. Headley. Revised 

and Edited by J. W. Kirton, LL.D., Author of "Buy your Own 
Cherries." 

34. Religion and Science: or, The Truth Revealed in Nature and 

Scripture. By Joseph Le Conte. 

35. Getting On in the World ; or, Hints on Success in Life. By 

William Mathews, LL.D. 

36. Household Stories. By the Brothers Grimm, W. Haujt, &c 

With numerous Engravings. 



CHILDREN AT JERUSALEM : A Sketch of Modern Life in 

Syria. By Mrs. Holman Hunt. Elegantly bound, cloth gilt, coloured edges, 
price 3J. td. 

LITERARY CURIOSITIES AND ECCENTRICITIES. 

Collected and Edited by W. A. Clouston. A Book of Anecdotes, Laconic 
Sayings, and Gems of Thought in Prose and Poetry. Crown Svo, cloth gilt, 
is. td. 

THE TRUE HISTORY OF A LITTLE RAGAMUFFIN. 

By Jamrs Gkfknwuhd, Author of "Journeys through London," "A Night 
in a Workhouse," "Silas the Conjuror," &c. With full-page Illustrations. 
Crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 3J. td. 



I London : WARD, LOCK <Sr» CO., Salisbury Seuart, E.C. 



ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, 



THE FAMILY CIRCLE LIBRARY. 



A Series of Popular Books, specially designed for Gifts and Rewards, and for 
Family Reading and Reference. 



Fully Illustrated and handsomely bound, cloth gilt, 3$. da. each. 

1. Margaret Catchpole (The History of). By Rev. R. Cobbold. 

With Coloured Plates and other Illustrations. 

2. Beatrice ; or, The Unknown Relatives. By Catherine Sin- 

clair. With Coloured Plates. 

3. Amy and Hester; or, The Long Holidays. By H. A. Ford. 

With Coloured Frontispiece and many Engravings. 

4. Wonders and Beauties of the Year. Popular and Poetical 

Descriptions of the Wild Flowers, Birds, and Insects of the Months. By 
H. G. Adams. With Coloured Frontispiece and many Engravings. 

5. Wonders and Curiosities of Animal Life. By George 

Kearley. With Coloured Frontispiece and many Engravings. 

6. Nature's Gifts, and How we Use them. A Familiar Account 

of our Everyday Wants, Comforts, and Luxuries. By George Dodd. 
With Coloured Frontispiece and other Illustrations. 

7. Modern Society; or, The March of Intellect. By Catherine 

Sinclair. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

8. Herbert Lovell ; or, Handsome He who Handsome Does. By 

Rev. F. W. B. Bouverie. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

9. The Sailor Hero; or, The Frigate and the Lugger. By Captain 

Armstrong, Author of "The Cruise of the Daring." With full-page 
Illustrations. 

10. The Cruise of the " Daring." A Tale of the Sea. By Capt. 

Armstrong, Author of "The Sailor Hero." With full-page Illustrations. 

11. Life's Contrasts; or, The Four Homes. By Mrs. Gother 

Mann. With Coloured Frontispiece and other Illustrations. 

12. Popular Preachers of the Ancient Church : Their Lives and 

their Works. By Rev. W. Wilson. With Illustrations. 

13. Edwin and Mary; or, The Mother's Cabinet. With Coloured 

Frontispiece and other Illustrations. 

14. The Book of Children's Hymns and Rhymes. With Co- 

loured Frontispiece and many Engravings. 

15. Looking Heavenward : A Series of Tales and Sketches for the 

Young. By Jane C. Simpson. With Coloured Frontispiece and many 
Engravings. 

16. Character and Culture. By the Bishop of Durham, Canon 

Dale, &c. With Passages selected from the Works of Eminent Divines. 

17. Pilgrims Heavenward. Essays of Counsel and Encourage- 

ment for the Christian Life. With Coloured Frontispiece. 

London: WARD, LOCK &> CO.. Salisbury Square, B.C. 



FOR EVERY HOME. 



The Family Circle Library — continued. 

18. Preachers and Preaching, in Ancient and Modern Times. By 

the Rev. Henry Christmas. With Portraits. 

19. Julamerk ; or, The Converted Jewess. By Mrs. Webb. With 

Coloured and other Illustrations. 

20. Fern Leaves from Fanny's Portfolio. First and Second 

Series Complete. With numerous Illustrations. 

21. Orange Blossoms: A Book for All who have Worn, are Wear- 

ing, or are likely to Wear Them. Edited by T. S. Arthur. With 
numerous Illustrations. 

22. The Martyrs of Carthage; or, The Christian Converts. A 

Tale of the Times of Old. With numerous Illustrations. 

23. Modern Accomplishments ; or, The March of Intellect. By 

Catherine Sinclair, Author of "Beatrice," "Modern Society," &c. 
With Coloured Plates. 

26. Poe's Tales of Mystery, Imagination, and Humour. By 

Edgar Allan Poe. With numerous Illustrations. 

27. Ballads and Poetical Tales. Selected from Percy, Ritson, 

Evans, Jamibson, Scott, &c. 

28. Beeton's Book of Birds ; Showing how to Rear and Manage 

them in Sickness and in Health. With Coloured Plates by Harrison Weir, 
and over 100 Engravings. 

29. Beeton's Book of Poultry and Domestic Animals : How 

to Rear and Manage them in Sickness and in Health. With Coloured 
Plates by Harrison Weir, and over 100 Engravings. 

31. Journeys through London ; or, Bye-ways of the Modern 

Babylon. By James Greenwood, Author of "A Night in a Workhouse," 
&c With 12 double-page Engravings. 

32. Fanny Fern's New Stories for Children. By the Author of 

" Fern Leaves." Illustrated. 

33. Adventures of Captain Hatteras. Containing " The English 

at the North Pole," and " The Ice Desert." By Jules Vkrnb. With 
Coloured Plates. 

34. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. First and 

Second Series Complete. By Jules Vkrnk. With Coloured Plates. 

35. The Wonderful Travels. Containing "Journey into the In- 

terior of the Earth," and " Five Weeks in a Balloon. By Jules Verne. 
With Coloured Plates. 

36. The Moon Voyage. Containing "From the Earth to the 

Moon," and "Round the Moon." By Jules Verne. With Coloured 
Plates. 

37. The Boy's Handy Book of Games and Sports. With 

Hundreds of Illustrations. 

38. The Boy's Handy Book of Natural History. With*about 

100 full-page Engravings by W. Harvev. 



London : WARD, LOCK &» CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



PURE LITERATURE BY CHOICE AUTHORS. 



THE GOOD TONE LIBRARY- 



The volumes included under this head are those really High-class Works which 
are most calculated to elevate the mind and give a high tone to the character. Con- 
taining all the interest of a novel without the objectionable features so frequently 
attaching to that class of literature, these Works, designed for the perusal of the 
Ytmth of Both Sexes, will be warmly welcomed. The names of the Authors are in 
themselves sufficient evidence of careful selection, and will assure the public that 
good taste and purity of spirit constitute the leading features of the " Good Tone 
Library." 

Post 8vo, elegantly bound, cloth gilt. 

1. The Prince of the House of David. By Rev. J. H. 

Ingraham. With Coloured Frontispiece. 

2. The Wide, Wide World. By Elizabeth Wetherell. With 

Coloured Frontispiece. 

3. Queechy. By Elizabeth Wetherell. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

4. Melbourne House. By Elizabeth Wetherell. With 

Coloured Frontispiece. 

5. Uncle Tom's Cabin. By Mrs. H. B. Stowe. With Sit etch of 

the Life of Rev. Josiah Hknson. Coloured and other Illustrations. 

6. Stepping Heavenward. By E. Prentiss. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

7. History of the Fairchild Family. By Mrs. Sherwood. 

With Coloured Frontispiece. 

8. Anna Lee : the Maiden, the Wife, and the Mother. By T. S. 

Arthur. With Illustrations. 

9. Flower of the Family. By E. Prentiss. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

10. From Jest to Earnest. By E. P. Roe. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

11. The Throne of David. By Rev. J. H. Ingraham. Illustrated. 

12. The Pillar of Fire. By Rev. J. H. Ingraham. Illustrated. 

13. Shiloh ; or, Without and Within. By Mrs. W- M. L. Jay. 

With Coloured Frontispiece. 

14. Holiday House. By Catherine Sinclair. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

15. Little Women. By Louisa M. Alcott. With Coloured 

Frontispiece. 

16. Good Wives. Sequel to, and by the Author of, "Little Women." 

With Coloured Frontispiece. 

17. The Lamplighter. By Miss Cumming. With Coloured Front- 

ispiece. 
iS. The Old Helmet. By the Author of " Queechy," &c. With 
Coloured Frontispiece. 

19. Freston Tower. By Rev. R. Cobbold, Author of " Margaret 

Catchpole," &c. Illustrated. 



London: WARD, LOCK & CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



POPULAR BOOKS BY GOOD AUTHORS. 



THE FAMILY GIFT SERIES. 



u 



A cltea? 53ut of Popular Books, suitable for Prizes and Rewards. 



Crown 8vo, cloth gilt, price 2s. 6d. each. 

1. The Swiss Family Robinson. Translated by Henry Frith. 

With Coloured Frontispiece and over 200 Engravings. 

2. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. With a Memoir of the Author 

hy H. W. Dulcken, Ph.D., and 100 Engravings. 

3. Robinson Crusoe. By Daniel Defoe. With Biographical 

Sketch of the Author, and many Engravings. 

4. The History of Sandford and Merton. By Thomas Day. 

With 100 Engravings by Dalziel Brothers. 

5. Famous Boys, and How they became Great Men. By the 

Author of " Clever Boys." With many Illustrations. 

6. Fifty Celebrated Women : Their Virtues and Failings, and 

the Lessons of their Lives. With Portraits and other Illustrations. 

7. The Gentlemen Adventurers; or, Antony Waymouth. Ey 

the late W H G Kingston. With full-page Engravings. 

8. Evenings at Home. By Dr. Aikin and Mrs. Barbauld. 

With many Illustrations. 

9. The Adventures of Captain Hatteras. By Jules Verne. 

Containing " The English at the North Pole,'' and "The Ice Desert." 
With Coloured Plates. 

10. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. First and 

Second Series Complete. By Jules Verne. With Coloured Plates. 

11. The Wonderful Travels. Containing "Journey into the In- 

terior of the Earth," and " Five Weeks in a Balloon." By Jules Verni 
With Coloured Plates. » 

12. The Moon Voyage. Containing "From the Earth to the f. 

Moon," and " Round the Moon." By Jules Verne. Coloured Plates. A 

13. Getting On in the World; or, Hints on Success in Life. By 1 

W. Mathews, LL.D. First and Second Series Complete. \ 

14. The Boy's Own Book of Manufactures and Industries of >■ 

the World. With 365 Engravings. \ 

15. Great Inventors : The Sources of their Usefulness, and the Re- 

sults of their Efforts. With 109 Engravings. 

16. Marvels of Nature ; or, Outlines of Creation. 400 Engravings. 

17. The Boy's Own Sea Stories. With full-page Engravings. 

18. Household Stories. By the Brothers Grimm, W. Hauff, &c. 

With many Illustrations. 

19. Fifty Celebrated Men : Their Lives and Trials, and the Deeds 

that made them Famous. With Portraits and other Illustrations. 

20. The Wonders of the World, in Earth, Sea, and Sky. With 

123 Engravings. 

21. The Triumphs of Perseverance and Enterprise. By Thomas 

Cooper. With many Engravings. 
London: WARD, LOCK <5r* CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



POPULAR BOOKS BY GOOD AUTHORS. 

The Family Gift SEmES^-continued. 

22. Keble's Christian Year : Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and 

Holy Days throughout the Year. With full-page Engravings. 

23. A Face Illumined. By E. P. Roe, Author of "From Jest to 

Earnest/' &c. 

24. The Scottish Chiefs. By Miss Jane Porter. 

25. What Can She Do? By E. P. Roe, Author of "A Face 

Illumined," &c. 

26. Barriers Burned Away. By the Same. 

27. Opening of a Chestnut Burr. By the Same. 

28. Orange Blossoms. By T. S. Arthur. Illustrated. 

29. Mary Bunyan, the Blind Daughter of John Bunyan. By 

Sallie Rochester Ford. With full-p :ge Engravings. 

30. The History of Margaret Catchpole. By Rev. Richard 

Cobbold. With numerous Illustrations. 

31. Julamerk ; or, The Converted Jewess. By the Author of 

" Naomi." With numerous Illustrations. 

32. Herbert Lovell ; or, Handsome He who Handsome Does. With 

numerous Illustrations. 

33. Amy and Hester; or, The Long Holidays. Illustrated. 

34. Edwin and Mary; or, The Mother's Cabinet. Illustrated. 

35. Wonders and Curiosities of Animal Life. By George 

Kearley. With many Engravings. 

36. Wonders and Beauties of the Year. By H. G. Adams. 

With many Engravings. 

37. Modern Society ; or, The March of Intellect. By Catherine 

Sinclair. With numerous Illustrations. 

38. Beatrice ; or, The Unknown Relatives. By Catherine Sinclair. 

With numerous Illustrations. 

39. Looking Heavenward : A Series of Tales and Sketches for 

the Young. With numerous Illustrations. 

40. Life's Contrasts ; or, The Four Homes. Illustrated. 

41. Nature's Gifts, and How we Use Them. With numerous 

Illustrations. 

42. Pilgrims Heavenward : Essays of Counsel and Encouragement 

for the Christian Life. 

43. The Book of Children's Hymns and Rhymes. Illustrated. 

44. Preachers and Preaching, in Ancient and Modern Times. 

By Rev. Henry Christmas. With Portraits. 

45. Character and Culture. By the Hon. and Rt. Rev. the Bishop 

of Durham, Canon Dale, &c. 

46. Popular Preachers : Their Lives and their Works. By Rev. 

W. Wilson. Wilh Illustrations. 

47. The Boy's Handy Book of Games and Sports. With 

Hundreds of Illustrations. 

48. The Boy's Handy Book of Natural History. With about 

100 full-page Engravings by W. Harvey. 
London: WARD, LOCK &* CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



ERCKMANN-CHA TRIAN'S STORIES. 
WARD, LOCK AND CO.'S 

ERCKMANN -CHATRIAN LIBRARY. 



Either to tin young who are learning history, to the old who desire to gain 
lessons from experience, S" to the mare feminine minds who delight in stories oj 
entrancing interest, the exquisite volum-s of MM. Ekckmann-Chatrian appeal 
in tones of wholesome and invigorating effect. 



Post 8vo, picture wrapper, price xs. each ; cloth gilt, is. 6d.; cloth gilt, those marked 

thus ('), with page EngraTings, 2s. 6,1. each ; gilt edges, 3s. bd. 

The addition to these volumes of the charming Illustrations of Schuler, Bayard, 

and others, render them in every way perfect. 

*i. Madame TherSse. 



2. The Conscript. 
•3. The Great Invasion. 

4. The Blockade. 
•5. The States-General. 
*6. The Country in Danger, 

7. Waterloo. 
*8. Illustrious Dr. Matheus. 
♦9. Stories of the Rhine. 
*io. Friend Fritz. 



*n. Alsatian Schoolmaster. 
*I2. The Polish Jew. 
13. Master Daniel Rock. 

•15. Year One of the Re- 
public. 
*i6. Citizen Bonaparte. 
•17. ConfessionsofaClarionet 

Player. 

*i8. The Campaign in Kabylia 
•19. The Man Wolf. 
*20. The Wild Huntsman. 



DOUBLE VOLUMES. Crowa 9vo, picture boards, as. each. 

1. Under Fire. (" Madame Therese," and " The Blockade.") 

2. Two Years a Soldier. (" The Conscript," and " Waterloo.") 

3. The Story of a Peasant, 1789-1792. (" The States-General," 

and " 1 he Country in Danger.") 

4. The Story of a Peasant, 1793-1815. ("Year One of the Re- 

public," and " Citiren Bonaparte.") 

5. The Mysterious Doctor. ("Dr. Matheus," and "Friend Fritz.") 

6. The Buried Treasure. (" Stories of the Rhine," and "Clarionet 

Player.") 

7. The Old Schoolmaster. ("The Alsatian Schoolmaster," and 

"Campaign in Kabylia.") 

8> We i r £T r ales of the Wo °ds. ("The Man Wolf," and "The 

Wild Huntsman.") 

In new and handsome binding, cloth gilt, gilt top, price 5*. each 

The Story of a Peasant, 17S9-1792. Containing "The States- 

General, and 1 he Country in Danger." With 57 full-page Engravings. 

Th f. S „ t0r ^r '. a f easant . »793-i8i 5 . Containing "Year One of 
the Republi c," and Cituen Bonaparte." With 60 full-page Engraving,. 

London : WARD, LOCK fr CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



PRETTY GIFT BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. 

THE MERCIE SUNSHINE SERIES. 

Ornamental boards, price One Shilling per volume ; or cloth gilt, price it. 

1. Mercie Sunshine's Chats about Animals. Illustrated. 

2. Mercie Sunshine's Chats about Birds. Profusely Illustrated. 

3. The Sunny Home. By Mercie Sunshine. Illustrated. 

4. The Shilling Nursery Rhymes for Children. Illustrated. 

5. The Shilling Nursery Rhymes and Stories. Illustrated. 

6. The Shilling Funny Nursery Rhymes. Illustrated. 

7. Old Nursery Tales. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

8. The Cinderella Nursery Story Book. With Illustrations. 

9. Nursery Stories and Pictures for the Young. Illustrated. 

10. Nursery Songs. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

11. Nursery Ballads. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

12. Nursery Stories. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

13. Sunny Hours. By Mercie Sunshine. Profusely Illustrated. 

14. Wonderful Days; or, Stories for the Little Ones. Illustrated. 

15. Wonderful Deeds. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

16. Wonderful Lives. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

17. The Wonderful Story; or, The Life of Jesus for the Little 

Ones. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

18. Wonderful Sayings. With Coloured and other Illustrations. 

19. The Children's Picture Annual. Third Series. Illustrated. 

20. The Children's Picture Annual. Fourth Series. Illustrated. 



THE GOOD GIFT LIBRARY FOR LITTLE PEOPLE. 

Elegantly bound, cloth gilt, price 6d. each ; ornamental wrapper, -$d. 

There are no boohs more suitable for children than these. Of a high moral 
tone } they impart a reverence and love for the Creator and His works, while their 
' cheapness brings them within the reach of all. 

1. Little Susy's Little Servants. 1st Series. By the Author of 

" Stepping Heavenward." 

2. Little Susy's Little Servants. 2nd Series. By the same. 

3. Little Susy's Birthdays. 1st Series. By the same. 

4. Little Susy's Birthdays. 2nd Series. By the same. 

5. Little Susy's Teachers. 1st Series. By the same. 

6. Little Susy's Teachers. 2nd Series. By the same. 

7. Original Poems. 1st Series. By Ann and Jane Taylor. 

8. Original Poems. 2nd Series. By the same. 

9. Original Poems. 3rd Series. By the same. 

10. Watts's Divine and Moral Songs. 

13" The above can also be had in Shilling Packets ; Packet I. containing 
Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and Packet II. containing Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. 

London: ]VARD, LOCK &> CO., Salisbury Square, E.C. 



GIFT BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. 



THE DAISY MAYFIELD SERIES. 

In picture boards, 3*. each ; or cloth gilt, 5X. 

1. The Children's Story Book of Pictures, Poetry, and Music. 

With aoo Illustrations. 

2. Merry Sunbeams. With 200 Illustrations. 

3. The Child's Own Birthday Present Book. 400 Illustrations. 

4. The Mayflower Picture Book. Profusely Illustrated. 

5. The Pleasant Hour Picture Book. Profusely Illustrated. 



THE CHILDREN'S FORGET-ME-NOT. Containing Stories 

of the Months, Tales about Animals, Seaside Ditties, &c, with upwards of 100 
large Engravings. Boards, as. td ; cloth gilt, 3$. 6d. 

ANN and JANE TAYLOR'S POETRY for CHILDREN. 

Containing the Original Poems, Hymns for Infant Minds, and Rhymes 
for the Nursery. With full-page and other Engravings. Crown 8vo, hand- 
somely bound, cloth gilt, price 3$ . 6d. 

BIBLE STEPS FOR LITTLE PILGRIMS; or, Scripture 

Stories for Little Folks. Beautifully Illustrated with Coloured Pictures and 135 
full-page and other Engravings. Imperial i6mo, cloth gilt, price 5*. 



The CHILDREN'S SERIES of ILLUSTRATED GIFT BOOKS. 

Handsomely bound in cloth gilt, picture on cover, 3*. 6ti. each. 

1. Moral Nursery Tales for Children. By the Author of '' The 

Golden Harp." With many Engravings. 

2. The Children's Picture Gift Book of Music and Song. With 

many Engravings. (Also in picture boards, -zs. 6d.) 

3. Chats about Animals and Birds. By Mercie Sunshine, 

Author of " The Sunny Holidays," &c. Beautifully Illustrated. 

4. The Sunny Holidays ; or, The Adventures of the Allen Family. 

By Mercie Sunshine. Beautifully Illustrated. 

5. The Book of Brave Old Ballads. With Coloured Illustrations 

by Sir John Gilbert. 

6. Harry's Ladder to Learning. Coloured and other Illustrations. 



THE SUNBEAM PICTURE BOOK SERIES. 

Imperial x6mo, picture boards, ?s.\ cloth gilt, 3*. (Those marked thus •, 
boards, is, (td. ; cloth gilt, 3;. 6d ) 

1. The Primrose Picture Book. With nearly 200 Pictures. 

2. My Little Friend. With nearly 200 Engravings. 

3. The Daisy Picture Book. With about 200 Illustrations. 

4. The Keepsake Picture Book. With 200 Illustrations. 

5. The Golden Story Book. With 200 Illustrations. 

6. The Sunbeam Picture Book. With 200 Illustrations. 

•7. Golden Childhood, Midsummer, 1880. With 200 Illustrations. 
•8. The Fireside Picture Book. With 200 Illustrations. 

London. WARD, LOCK & CO., Salisbury Square, B.C. 



PRETTY GIFT BOOKS. 



THE PLAY-HOUR PICTURE BOOKS. 

Large 4to, very handsomely bound, cloth gilt extra, price $s. each. 
I. Nursery Rhymes, ABC Book. With 58 Coloured and 47 
Plain Illustrations. 

3. Little Tot's Pleasure Book. With 42 Coloured Illustrations 

(many full-page). 

4. Child's Own Picture Book of Animals. With 34 Coloured 

Illustrations (22 full-page) and 56 Engravings, 

5. The Nursery Friend. With 24 fuil-page Coloured Illustrations. 



THE "LITTLE PET" SERIES. 

Imperial i6mo, boards, 2S. each ; New Binding, cloth and silver, is. dd. 

1. Our Little Pet's Own Picture Book. With 160 Illustrations, 

2. New Comical Nursery Rhymes and Stories. Illustrated. 

3. Pretty Little Lessons for Pretty Little Children. Illustrated. 

4. Easy Tales and Pleasant Stories. With 200 Engravings. 

5. Bible Sketches from the Old and New Testaments. Must. 

6. Sacred Readings for Young Children. With 60 Engravings. 

8. The Child's Own Book of Pictures, Tales, and Poetry. 

9. Favourite Nursery Rhymes for Nursery Favourites. Must. 
10. Merry Rhymes and Stories for Merry Little Learners. 



THE LOTTIE LIGHTHEART SERIES. 

Picture boards, as. ; cloth gilt, as. 6d. 

1. Brave Old Ballads. With Coloured Plates. 

2. Robin Hood, and other Ballads. With Coloured Plates. 

3. Moral Nursery Tales for Children. With many Illustrations. 

4. Children's Nursery Tales. With many Illustrations. 

5. Charlie and Rosie. With about 100 Illustrations. 

6. Lottie Lightheart. With about 100 Pictures. 

7. The Happy Home Picture Book. With 100 Illustrations. 

8. Sunny Child Life. With about 100 Illustrations. 



HANS ANDERSEN'S STORY BOOKS. 

Fcap. 8vo, cloth gilt, with Coloured Plates and other Illustrations, price it. each. 



1. The Christmas Tree. 

a. The Garden of Paradise. 

j. The Willow Tree. 

4. The Silent Book. 

5. The Little Mermaid. 



6. The Silver Shilling. 

7. The Snow Queen. 

8. The Ice Maiden. 

9. Little Ida's Flowers. 
10. Little Tuk. 



11. What the Moon Saw. 
BIBLE STEPS FOR LITTLE PILGRIMS; or, Scripture 

Stories for Children. With Coloured Plates and other Illustrations, price 6d. 

1. The Story of the Creation ahd the Deluge. — a. The Story of 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.— 3. The Story of Josei-h and his Brothers.— 
4. The Story of Moses.— 5. The Story of the Judges.— 6. The Story of 
David.— 7. The Story of the Prophets. — 8. The Life of Jesus. — 9. Stories 
of the Parables. — 10. Stories of the Miracles. — 11. Stories of the 

AfOSTLES. 



London: WARD, LOCK & CO., Salisbury Square, B.C. 



GOOD BOOKS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE. 



WARD, LOOK & CO.'S "GOOD AIM" BOOKS. 



Tlie feature of this series of Books is to encourage in childhood a spirit of love, 
gentleness, and cheerfulness, while affording amusement and interest. 



Elegantly bound, cloth gilt, price if. each. 

1. The Original Poems for Children. By Ann and Jane 

Taylor. Illustrated. 

2. The Basket of Flowers. Illustrated. 

3. Ellen's Idol. By E. S. Phelps, Author of " The Gates Ajar.?' 

With Frontispiece. 

5. Sermons on the Wall. By John Tillotson. Illustrated. 

6. Goldy and Goldy's Friends. By Mary Densel. Illustrated. 

7. The One Thing Needful ; or, Ethel's Pearls. Illustrated. 

12. The Orphan Boy; or, From Peasant to Prince. Illustrated. 

13. Tom, Tom, the Printer's Son : A Boy's Story. Illustrated. 

14. Only a Dandelion. By the Author of " Stepping Heavenward." 

15. Follow Me. By the Same. Illustrated. 

16. New Year's Bargain. By Susan Coolidge. Illustrated. 

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